What Is Drama free essay sample

The word drama is derived from the ancient Greek word meaning action. If something is full of action it’s exciting, emotional, it’s unpredictable; it’s dramatic. Drama is a way of expressing or showing a story. Drama can make us feel happy, sad, afraid, superior, and inferior and so on. Drama is the essence of human existence; it’s what makes life worth living for. In modern times we have used the word drama to generally to mean acting and theatre. We have also come to known drama a to over re-act or to be a drama queen. * Forms of Drama Drama is everywhere and in everything we do. The simplest form of drama is life itself. Even though drama covers a large range of categories such as narratives, poems, myths and much more here are the different forms of the drama in a theatrical sense. The most common form of theatrical drama is acting. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is Drama? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Acting is using both voice and movement to assume a character in order to present a story line. Other form of drama is song which includes Opera, another form of drama is dance, pantomime (acting without using your voice and only using facial expressions, gestures and movement) and a less known form of drama called tableau which uses no movement or voice at all (this is used as a reflective time). Though behind all these forms of drama there is one standard factor and that is emotion. Behind every drama there is either a comedy of a tragedy. Drama is either a comic, humorous, light hearted affair or an intense, action packed story of deep emotion. Comedy and Tragedy are the basis of drama and that’s why they are the symbols of it (happy and frowny face) Opera Opera Comedy and Tragedy Comedy and Tragedy History of Theatrical Drama * Origins of Theatrical Drama Exactly when theatrical drama began is a mystery. Prehistoric hunters have been depicted acting out stories of their hunting trips. Ancient Egyptians performed sacred songs and dances and re-enacted mythological stories about their gods in religious ceremonies, but the idea of theatre as dramatic entertainment didn’t arise until later. Drama Performance in Ancient Egypt Drama Performance in Ancient Egypt Hunting story Hunting story * Ancient Theatre The first recorded form of theatre started in Ancient Greece around 600 B. C. Plays were performed at religious festivals honouring the god Dionysus the Greek god of wine and festivities. The first plays were the idea of the Greek poet Thespis. Thespis was the father of tragic drama and both wrote and performed in plays about the heroic adventures of demigods (half mortal, half god) such as Hercules and his 12 labours. Greek plays were performed in an amphitheatre. When the Romans took over they greatly embraced the Greek culture using many Greek plays but translated into Latin. Comedy plays were more popular with crude humour. Actors performed in masks with greatly emphasised expressions. Masks Used in Ancient Roman Theatre Masks Used in Ancient Roman Theatre Ancient Greek Amphitheatre Ancient Greek Amphitheatre * Medieval Theatre In Medieval times theatre buildings and performances as such weren’t permitted but traveling shows called minstrels were all the rage. Minstrel performances included acrobats, puppeteers, jugglers and story tellers. Christians at the time started their own type of theatre where priests would act out the miracles of Christ and the performance of the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. * Renaissance Theatre La Commedia DellArte La Commedia DellArte William Shakespeare William Shakespeare During the 14th to 17th centuries Europe started to embrace the arts again. We now call this era the Renaissance. Along with the arts drama came with it and the theatre once more was strong. In Italy a major influence of theatre was the ‘La Commedia Dell’Arte’ or in English ‘Professional Comedy’. This was a travelling road show which used no improvised script and masked characters created a comical story line just thinking it up on the spot. Queen Elizabeth I strongly believed in the theatre. During Elizabethan times the most famous playwright started his career. Born in 1564, William Shakespeare was an actor and poet who wrote many famous plays such as ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Hamlet’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’; these plays are still studied and performed all over the world today. * Kabuki Theatre Kabuki Theatre Performance Kabuki Theatre Performance Originating in Japan in the 1600’s Kabuki theatre is a form of Japanese theatre which is still performed today. The plays are based on Japanese legends and what is significant about it is that the show opens and closes with the sound of wood clapping together, the constant playing of the starmisen (the Japanese three stringed guitar) and how throughout the performance the actors freeze in their position after every scene in order to create reflection. The actors in a Kabuki performance wear colourful Actor wearing kimono and white makeup Actor wearing kimono and white makeup Japanese clothing (kimonos etc. ) and heavy makeup. Modern Theatre * Basis of Modern Drama Modern Theatrical Drama is such a large spectrum of entertainment. In today’s society drama is split into two forms, realism and modernism. Realism is drama which expresses real life situations and beliefs and represents problems and issues in current society. Modernism is drama based on culture which is stories and fantasy with issues and scenes not common in the real world. Modern day drama is a very vast spectrum covering the circus to street mimes, from YouTube videos to cartoons but the two most popular forms of modern drama are drama through live musical theatre and drama through pre-staged T. V and movies. * Drama through Live Musical Theatre Musical Drama is the theatre performance of telling a story with the aids of music, song and dance as well as the much needed acting. Musical theatre has always been around but it really blossomed in the 1930’s. At this time the great depression was a foot and people needed some cheering up so many went to see musicals such as ‘Paint My Wagon’ and ‘West Side Story’. Through the 1900’s many memorable plays were staged such as Oklahoma! , My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls and many more. Musical theatre in the 21st century is a respected art with theatre across the globe with New York known as the capitol of musical theatre on Broadway. Musical s today include Wicked, Mary Poppins, Jersey Boys and Hairspray. OKLAHOMA! The Musical OKLAHOMA! The Musical Jersey Boys the Musical Jersey Boys the Musical * Drama through T. V and Movies As television took over the world and became the primary source of entertainment drama obliged creating new forms of drama using the T. V. Genre related dramas are on T. V which are dramas with a story line specifying to certain type of audience who like a certain genre are everywhere, some include medical dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy and the more recent type of genre related dramas called Vampire dramas e. g. The Vampire Diaries. Another form of T. V drama are Soap Operas which are long running T. V sagas centred around a family or town which tells the dramatic, unsuspecting, never ending series of events. Examples include The Days of Our Lives (45 years), the Bold and the Beautiful (25 years) and the Young and the Restless (40 years). Another form of Drama is Reality Drama. Reality T. V is a show where ordinary people go on with no rehearsed script and usually have to perform a task. This is considered the most popular form of T. V Drama today examples include Master chef, The Biggest Loser, Survivor, the Amazing Race etc. Movies are also a form of Drama believe it or not; from ‘Finding Nemo’ to ‘The Notebook’ all movies are a form of drama. The Biggest Loser: T. V Weight Loss Reality Drama The Biggest Loser: T. V Weight Loss Reality Drama Like Sand through the Hour-Glass So Are the Days of Our Lives Like Sand through the Hour-Glass So Are the Days of Our Lives The Elements of Drama The Character: A Character is simply a person who appears in the play to tell the story. Most plays contain major characters and minor characters. The development of major characters is essential to the play; the play revolves around the story of the major character. In a play a character is either a protagonist or an antagonist, so basically good guys and bad guys. The protagonist goes through with the plot and the antagonist try’s to stop him or vice versa. The Character: A Character is simply a person who appears in the play to tell the story. Most plays contain major characters and minor characters. The development of major characters is essential to the play; the play revolves around the story of the major character. In a play a character is either a protagonist or an antagonist, so basically good guys and bad guys. The protagonist goes through with the plot and the antagonist try’s to stop him or vice versa. The Plot and Scene: The Plot is the events that makes up the story told in the play. The plot is the story centred on the main character. The plot has an Orientation (the beginning introductory to describe the scene and setting), a Complication (a problem that arises), Sequence of Events (a series of events which lead up to), a Climax (the height of the story, the most exciting and suspenseful bit, usually the confrontation between hero and villain) a Resolution (the answer to the problem) and a Coda (a moral or lesson taught by the story). The Scene is basically the setting or the ‘geography’ in which the play is set so for example in the play ‘The Sound of Music’ it is set in Austria so the scene is the hilly meadows and mountains of Austria and the von Trapp House. The Plot and Scene: The Plot is the events that makes up the story told in the play. The plot is the story centred on the main character. The plot has an Orientation (the beginning introductory to describe the scene and setting), a Complication (a problem that arises), Sequence of Events (a series of events which lead up to), a Climax (the height of the story, the most exciting and suspenseful bit, usually the confrontation between hero and villain) a Resolution (the answer to the problem) and a Coda (a moral or lesson taught by the story). The Scene is basically the setting or the ‘geography’ in which the play is set so for example in the play ‘The Sound of Music’ it is set in Austria so the scene is the hilly meadows and mountains of Austria and the von Trapp House. Theme and Genre: The plot has been called the body of a play and the theme has been called its soul. Most plays have a conflict of some kind between individuals, between man and society, man and some superior force or man and himself. The theme in a play is the issues and matters raised through the story. A general theme in a love story might be love conquers all and that is what a theme is; the basic underline of what the play is about. A Genre is the style or type of interest the play is written around. Every form of drama has a genre whether it is comedy, romance, mystery, horror or anything else; people go to see things they are interested in. If you’re favourite genre is fantasy you’ll go see a theatre performance which contains magic and dragons, if you prefer crime genre you’ll watch a movie about and murder mystery and forensic scientists. Theme and Genre: The plot has been called the body of a play and the theme has been called its soul. Most plays have a conflict of some kind between individuals, between man and society, man and some superior force or man and himself. The theme in a play is the issues and matters raised through the story. A general theme in a love story might be love conquers all and that is what a theme is; the basic underline of what the play is about. A Genre is the style or type of interest the play is written around. Every form of drama has a genre whether it is comedy, romance, mystery, horror or anything else; people go to see things they are interested in. If you’re favourite genre is fantasy you’ll go see a theatre performance which contains magic and dragons, if you prefer crime genre you’ll watch a movie about and murder mystery and forensic scientists. Dialogue: A Dialogue a conversation between characters in a play or in any literary work. Dialogue brings characters to life by revealing their personalities and by showing what they are thinking and feeling as they react to other characters. Within dialogue there are different types of speech given different names. One type of speech used in dialogue is a soliloquy. A soliloquy is a long speech delivered by a character that is alone onstage. A soliloquy typically reveals the private thoughts and emotions of the character. Another form of speech is an aside. An aside is a comment made by a character, but is not heard by the other characters onstage. Dialogue: A Dialogue a conversation between characters in a play or in any literary work. Dialogue brings characters to life by revealing their personalities and by showing what they are thinking and feeling as they react to other characters. Within dialogue there are different types of speech given different names. One type of speech used in dialogue is a soliloquy. A soliloquy is a long speech delivered by a character that is alone onstage. A soliloquy typically reveals the private thoughts and emotions of the character. Another form of speech is an aside. An aside is a comment made by a character, but is not heard by the other characters onstage. Convention: A dramatic convention is a set of rules, which both the audience and actors are familiar with and which act as a useful way of quickly signifying the nature of the action or of a character. All forms of theatre have dramatic conventions, some of which may be unique to that particular form, such as the poses used by actors in Japanese kabuki theatre to establish a character or the moustache twirling villain in early cinema serials. A convention is known by the audience, it is a significant movement, sound or gesture which displays the characters intentions or who they are. Convention: A dramatic convention is a set of rules, which both the audience and actors are familiar with and which act as a useful way of quickly signifying the nature of the action or of a character. All forms of theatre have dramatic conventions, some of which may be unique to that particular form, such as the poses used by actors in Japanese kabuki theatre to establish a character or the moustache twirling villain in early cinema serials. A convention is known by the audience, it is a significant movement, sound or gesture which displays the characters intentions or who they are. Audience: Theatre requires an audience. For all of the arts public is essential. The physical presence of an audience can change a performance, inspire actors, and create expectations. Theatre is a living breathing art form. The presence of live actors on the stage in front of live audiences sets it apart from modern day films and television. Audience: Theatre requires an audience. For all of the arts public is essential. The physical presence of an audience can change a performance, inspire actors, and create expectations. Theatre is a living breathing art form. The presence of live actors on the stage in front of live audiences sets it apart from modern day films and television. Stage Craft (Visual Elements): The Stage craft also known as the visual elements deals with the scenes, costumes and special effects used in it. The visual element of drama renders a visual appeal to it. The costumes worn by the artists must suit the characters they are playing. Besides, it is important for the scenes to be dramatic enough to hold the audiences to their seats. The special effects used in a play add to the visual appeal. Thus, the stage craft forms an essential component of drama. Stage Craft (Visual Elements): The Stage craft also known as the visual elements deals with the scenes, costumes and special effects used in it. The visual element of drama renders a visual appeal to it. The costumes worn by the artists must suit the characters they are playing. Besides, it is important for the scenes to be dramatic enough to hold the audiences to their seats. The special effects used in a play add to the visual appeal. Thus, the stage craft forms an essential component of drama. SO AFTER ALL THAT WHAT IS DRAMA USED FOR? Drama is used as an expression of human emotion; it is the life and soul of life and without drama life wouldn’t be worth living for. In a theatrical sense drama is used as way to entertain any audience with any type of favourite drama. In theatre drama is a living and breathing force which feeds on the expression and the emotions given by the audience after the dramatic performance has been displayed. Drama is used as a general living tool and great form of both comic and tragic entertainment. By Anthony Pagano. Top 10 Dramas in the Past 100 Years Cats: Cats is a musical directed by the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cats is about the life of cats and the politics of cats. It is the second longest running musical in History. Cats: Cats is a musical directed by the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber. Cats is about the life of cats and the politics of cats. It is the second longest running musical in History. Oliver! : The Musical adaptation of the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens is about an orphan who runs away from an orphanage and hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor. Oliver! : The Musical adaptation of the book Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens is about an orphan who runs away from an orphanage and hooks up with a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor. The Wizard Of Oz: The timeless classic about a girl named Dorothy Gale who is swept away to a magical land named Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home. On her way she meets the brainless scarecrow, the heartless tin-man and the cowardly lion. The Wizard Of Oz: The timeless classic about a girl named Dorothy Gale who is swept away to a magical land named Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest to see the Wizard who can help her return home. On her way she meets the brainless scarecrow, the heartless tin-man and the cowardly lion. The Phantom of the Opera: The Phantom of the Opera is another musical/opera directed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is about a woman who falls in love with a phantom. The Phantom of the Opera: The Phantom of the Opera is another musical/opera directed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is about a woman who falls in love with a phantom. Please Sir, May I Have Some More Please Sir, May I Have Some More My Fair Lady: The story of a snobbish linguistics professor who agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society. My Fair Lady: The story of a snobbish linguistics professor who agrees to a wager that he can take a flower girl and make her presentable in high society. Romeo amp; Juliet: The timeless love story written by William Shakespeare about the forbidden love of Romeo and Juliet whose love is torn apart due to their feuding families and the sad but memorable ending. Romeo amp; Juliet: The timeless love story written by William Shakespeare about the forbidden love of Romeo and Juliet whose love is torn apart due to their feuding families and the sad but memorable ending. The Rocky Horror Show: The comedy/horror musical about a newly engaged couple who stumble into a house where an evil scientist reveals his creation of life through a muscle man named Rocky Horror. After staying the night the couple discovers that the evil scientist and all the people in the house are really transsexual aliens whose main purpose is to mate with all humans on earth both male and female. Yuck! The Rocky Horror Show: The comedy/horror musical about a newly engaged couple who stumble into a house where an evil scientist reveals his creation of life through a muscle man named Rocky Horror. After staying the night the couple discovers that the evil scientist and all the people in the house are really transsexual aliens whose main purpose is to mate with all humans on earth both male and female. Yuck! West Side Story: Set in New York City in the mid-1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The members of the Sharks from Puerto Rico are taunted by the Jets, a white working-class group. Forbidden love occurs when Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. West Side Story: Set in New York City in the mid-1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The members of the Sharks from Puerto Rico are taunted by the Jets, a white working-class group. Forbidden love occurs when Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. Grease: This musical, directed by Jim Jacobs, was set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School; it follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins. This musical was later turned into a hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. Grease: This musical, directed by Jim Jacobs, was set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School; it follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins. This musical was later turned into a hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. The Sound of Music: The Sound Music is a Musical and film based on the memoirs of Maria von Trapp. The story is set around WWII in Austria it is about a nun in training named Maria who is sent to the von Trapp family to be the governess for Mr. von Trapp’s seven children. The Sound of Music: The Sound Music is a Musical and film based on the memoirs of Maria von Trapp. The story is set around WWII in Austria it is about a nun in training named Maria who is sent to the von Trapp family to be the governess for Mr. von Trapp’s seven children.

Make an Inference Practice Questions

Make an Inference Practice Questions Want to master your reading comprehension? Practicing your inference skills is a great place to start, but if you are unsure how to make an inference at all (or what one even is), you might want to start with the  basics of inference  which will give you all of the  details that you need. If you are ready to go, go ahead and get started with these easy inference practice questions to hone your reading skills. The following inference questions provide a basic assessment of your comprehension of the skill. Printable PDFs: Inference Practice Questions 1 | Answers to Inference Practice Questions 1 Inference Practice Questions 1 Using your best inference strategies, make an inference about the following statements. The first two are done for you. I wouldnt eat after that two-year-old if I were you.Inference: The two-year-old probably did something gross to the food you were about to eat or has a cold and you could catch it. Something bad will happen to you if you eat  the food.  For Valentine’s Day, my fantastic neighbor gave his wife a poem that took him about two seconds to write. Sheesh.Inference: My neighbor is not very considerate since he didnt take his time writing the poem.A man ran after a retreating bus, waving his briefcase frantically.Inference:If she died, I wouldn’t go to her funeral.Inference:Jake almost wished that he hadn’t listened to the radio. He went to the closet and grabbed his umbrella even though he would feel silly carrying it to the bus stop on such a sunny morning.Inference:Hey! What happened to all the school construction money taken from the taxpayers? It paid for this toilet the money was flushed down.Inference:As you give a speech in front of a large audience, you reali ze that people are laughing behind their hands and pointing to the region below your waist.Inference: No, Honey, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money on my birthday present. Just having you for a husband is the only gift I need. In fact, I’ll just drive my old rusty bucket of bolts down to the mall and buy myself a little present. And if the poor old car doesnt break down, I’ll be back soon.Inference:A woman walks into a hospital clutching her abdomen and yelling at  her husband, who trails behind her carrying a large bag.Inference:Youre driving on the highway, listening to the radio, and a police officer pulls you over.Inference: Inference Practice 1 Suggested Answers 3. A man ran after a retreating bus, waving his briefcase frantically. Inference:  The man had to take that bus to work and he was running late. He wanted the bus driver to stop the bus so he could get on it. 4. If she died, I wouldn’t go to her funeral. Inference:  Im extremely angry with this woman for some major  reason,  because one of the worst things a person could do is to hate someone after they have passed away. 5. Jake almost wished that he hadn’t listened to the radio. He went to the closet and grabbed his umbrella even though he would feel silly carrying it to the bus stop on such a sunny morning. Inference:  Jake heard that it was going to rain later in the day. 6. Hey! What happened to all the school construction money taken from the taxpayers? It paid for this toilet the money was flushed down. Inference:  The school district is wasting tax payers money. 7. As you give a speech in front of a large audience, you realize that people are laughing behind their hands and pointing to the region below your waist. Inference:  You forgot to zip up your fly or you have something on your pants. 8. No, Honey, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money on my birthday present. Just having you for a husband is the only gift I need. In fact, I’ll just drive my old rusty bucket of bolts down to the mall and buy myself a little present. And if the poor old car doesnt break down, I’ll be back soon. Inference:  The wife wants the husband to buy her a new car for her birthday. 9. A woman walks into a hospital clutching her abdomen and cursing out her husband, who trails behind her carrying a large bag. Inference:  The woman is in labor. 10. Youre driving on the highway, listening to the radio, and a police officer pulls you over. Inference:  Youve broken the law in some way while driving.

Air Pollution As A Danger To Humanity

Air Pollution As A Danger To Humanity Air is the ocean we breathe, air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies to live. However, human activities can release particles into the air, of which can cause problems such as smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and holes in the ozone layer. Each of these problems has serious problems for our health and well being as well as for the whole environment. Therefore, preventing air pollution is not only the duty of an individual but also the responsibilities of all people who are living in this earth. Of great concern is â€Å"emissions† caused by traffic and industries. The negative effects resulting from these emissions are undeniable and there is need to get a lasting solution to the problem. Uses of eco-friendly modes of transport such as bicycles or public electric trains are some of the solutions in solving emissions caused by transport systems. There are other gases such as greenhouse gases that have also been of great concern in the recent past. When released to the air, they are both harmful to human beings and plant life. These gases have been proven to be a cause of global warming which has resulted in increased droughts. In turn, these droughts have been a major cause of fires that increase air pollution. Carbon dioxide is a good indicator of how much fossil fuel is burned. Including how much of other pollutants are emitted as a result. Carbon dioxide is a perfect example of air pollution, the average family in the United States causes air pollution in the following examples transportation, electricity, other home fuel uses and goods and services we buy. The average amount of pollution a average family uses each year is (CO2) eighty five pounds, Nitrogen Oxides three hundred and twenty five pounds, Sulfur dioxide or acid rain four hundred and eleven pounds. The health effects on the air pollution on humans is critical as well. Exposure to emissions of lead, mercury, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and ozone-forming nitrogen oxides are hazardous to public health. Toxins like mercury and lead can poison organ systems and can lead to brain damage and death. Other pollutants in the ozone can cause respiratory and other health problems, particularly in children and the elderly. Air polluti on can even lead to either a wide range or a short range of health effects. Over the past thirty years researchers have studied a vast of health effects which are believed to be associated with air pollution exposure. In the respiratory system diseases including asthma and changes in lung function cardiovascular diseases, adverse pregnancy outcomes and even death. Nearly two point five million people die from air pollution each year from outdoor and indoor air pollution. The cause of long term air pollution can last for years or for an entire life time. They can even lead to a persons death. The health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to peoples nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Young children and older adults whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors. In parts of the country where lakes and waterways have been contaminated with mercury from electric power plants, fish are no longer safe to eat because they, too, are contaminated with heavy metal pollutants. Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze which is simila r to smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds. Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition. Degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams, damages crops and can cause buildings and monuments to decay. Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects as well as diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been to air pollution. The reduction of air pollution is a major situation that people need to know about, on how to reduce the pollution and make the environment much safer and healthier. Anybody can take easy steps to compact and make air pollution reduce. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportationinstead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Many people have adapted to using eletronic cars or eletricty to live thier lives besides burning fossil fuels and emitting air pollution into the air.

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Health Administarion - Essay Example The rate of hiring or firing employees is also another indicator of the performance of the organization. Positive and encouraging feedback from both the clients and the stakeholders of the organization is an indicator of good performance in the organization. However, if the feedback is constantly marked by threats and disappointing remarks, it indicates something is not ok in the organization’s performance. Productivity outcome is mainly indicated through the profits and losses in an organization in a financial year. If the profits outride the losses, then it is an indicator that the organization is performing well. When the losses are more than the profits, then the company is not performing well. The productivity outcome should however not be based on only one financial year but several continuous ones. Finally, if no new clients are being recruited in the organization frequently or they keep on leaving the organization and seeking services and products of other organizations, then this is an indicator that something is wrong with the performance of that organization. If however new clients keep coming and the old ones are retained, then performance of the organization is

Overuse of Acronyms in Professional Writing Research Paper

Overuse of Acronyms in Professional Writing - Research Paper Example cronyms which may be seen in scientific literature include ACE for Angiostensin Coverting Enzyme, BUN for Blood Urea Nitrogen, and CAT for Computerized Axial Tomography. On the other hand, intialisms like ACTH for Adreno-CorticoTrophic Hormone, PTST for Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome, and RT-CR for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction are also frequently used in the same field. Acronyms are used in the highly technical world for the following purposes: However, acronyms may be overused in scientific writing to the point that the advantages are overshadowed by confusion (Ibrahim 27). This paper will examine the extent by which acronyms are being used in the scientific field with recommendations to prevent the overuse of acronyms in scientific writing Two studies were conducted to investigate the extent to which acronyms are overused in scientific literature: one by researchers Hong Yu, George Hripcsack, and Carol Friedman at Columbia University, and another by Dr. Everett Shocket, from the University of South Florida and the Bay Pines VA Medical Center. Using a computer program they developed, Yu, Hripcsack, and Friedman mapped acronyms in scientific journals to their respective long forms. Results revealed that only 25% of acronyms were defined in scientific articles. The remaining 75% of undefined acronyms were mapped to one of four online acronym databases. The study found that the acronyms had different meanings in each database (Yu, Hripesack, and Friedman 262). An acronym which stands for various meanings in the same field of expertise is a clear indication of irresponsible use and overuse of acronyms even in scholarly works. Findings of the study suggest that concerns about the prevalence of the overuse of acronyms are founded. The fact that an automated intervention to help readers match an acronym in a scientific journal to its correct long form had not been very successful implies the gravity of the problem on the overuse of

The Supply and Demand of Oil Essay Example for Free

The Supply and Demand of Oil Essay Most people, especially the anti-American regime, blame George Bush as the main reason why oil prices in the international market has been increasing in the recent years. According to them, George Bush serves as an avenue for Iraq and its allies in the Middle East to cut their supply of oil in the world market as a â€Å"payback† for attacking Iraq. Back in the early 2000’s, George Bush commence a war against Iraq for the reasons that he want to end terrorist groups that houses in the said country as well as to spread democracy in the middle east. Iraq, one of the top oil producers in the world market, in response to the action of the United States, Iraq, together with other Islamic countries, cut their oil supply in the world market for United States to suffer from rising oil prices since it is the main consumer of oil in the world market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Little this people know, George Bush is not liable for the rising of oil prices in the international market. Iraq as well as other oil producing countries around the globe is a member of OPEC – an organization of oil producing countries operating as a cartel. Cartel, just like OPEC, manipulates the supply of a certain good in order to influence the market price in the market for the benefit of its members and/or depends on the capacity of oil that its member countries can provide to the world market. The said cutting of oil supply of Iraq and other Islamic countries was just a move initiated largely by OPEC and was not because of the war commenced by George Bush. Even if the said attack in Iraq of the United States influenced the decision of Iraqi government and other Islamic countries to cut their oil supply in the world market, but its level of significance was not enough in order to say that George Bush was liable for the rising of oil prices in the market. Price Gouging   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another fallacy that most people believed to be one of the factors that triggered the rising of oil prices in the market would be the price gouging of domestic oil firms in the market that unreasonably increases the prices of gasoline in the market. People that believes in this factor claims that domestic oil firms only wants to further increase their profitability and only uses the condition of world market for oil as a leeway in order to justify its indiscriminate and unjustifiable price increase on gasoline and other petroleum products in the domestic market. Moreover, say that price of oil in the world market indeed increase due to shortage of oil, domestic oil firms charges more than the amount that they should charge to their customers just to maintain their profitability. In other words, ignorant people about the real score on the rising of oil prices accuse domestic oil firms from cheating on them. Even if it is possible, the government would not allow such even to happen. There is a more logical reason why oil prices and other petroleum products are increasing robustly in the market in the recent years. In some countries, like for the case of the Philippines, they have the Department of Energy that monitors and approves the price increase of their domestic oil firms.   In short, domestic oil firms cannot just unreasonably raise their prices since the government keeps eye on them. Moreover, the value judgment of people claiming this factor as one of the factors that triggers the rising of oil prices in the market is based on emotions and on what they see on their immediate environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Just like the case of the first fallacy discussed above, these types of people hastily makes conclusion without conducting thoroughly research and study. At the end of the day, the association of price gouging and oil price hike is not but a fallacy, a fallacy of hasty conclusion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Price Fixing of OPEC   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Few decades after the establishment of OPEC, it mainly has the power to influence and manipulate prices of oil in the international market by either raising or cutting the volume of oil that they supply in the international market. But in the recent years, due to the depleting oil reserves of many oil producing countries, especially oil producing countries in the Middle East, OPEC has been increasing the prices of their oil in the market robustly in the recent years not because they want to but because they are forced to. But many people still are skeptical on the real score on the rising of OPEC’s oil in the international market. Those statements of many people claiming that OPEC manipulates the prices of oil in the world market are making a foregone conclusion (Peopledaily.com.cn 2004). Before this claim seems to fit, but now, amidst to the problem on depleting oil reserves of many oil producing countries, this claim does not hold anymore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the end of the day, people, especially consumers that are not well-informed about the current situation of oil reserves of various oil producing countries in the world market, are insisting that OPEC, as a cartel, takes advantage of its market power and indiscriminately charges higher prices that what is should be optimally charging to its customers. Again, these claims of above mentioned people are nothing but a mere fallacy for they do not have the strong argumentation about the true roots of oil price increase in the international market. The Real Issue – Supply and Demand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The main and acceptable reason behind the pricing of oil prices in the world market would be the level of supply and demand in the market. These economic factors are the determinants of â€Å"right† and â€Å"justifiable† market price of oil in the market. There are no other factors that can influence the price of oil justifiably other than the demand-supply relationship since these factors are market driven and being controlled by all of the sectors in the economy. Demand, as a one of the economic factors that influences the spiking of oil prices in the market, accounts to all of the industries’ degree of importance of oil in the market. It also accounts all of the political and social factors of the market and incorporates these factors to the consumption behavior of the consumers in the market. In other words, demand is a good determinant of â€Å"true† value of market prices of goods and services in the economy. It is the market forces that influence the level of demand of goods and services in the market, and this market forces always provides benefits to the society as a whole. At the end of the day, demand reflects degree of importance of oil in various sectors as well as accounts all the social and political factors that affect such degree of importance of oil. On the other hand, the supply is also another important economic factor that greatly influences the price increase of oil in the international market. Supply provides the willingness to accept of producers in the market. Like for the case of oil industry, the oil prices that is triggered by supply factor is mainly reflects how much price the oil producing countries are willing to accept in order for them to produce oil in the market. In other words, supply reveals the prices that oil producing countries are willing to receive in order for them to continue their production of oil in the market. Given that oil reserves of oil of most oil producing countries are starting to deplete creating an avenue for them to supply oil less in the international market, it creates enough market pressure for oil prices in the world market to increase robustly. Since the oil reserves of oil producing countries are depleting, the willingness to accept of oil producing countries increases as a move to protect their profitability (Schoen, 2004). But increasing their willingness to accept would give them enough room to raise their profit since they can haggle for higher prices of oil in the market to the consumers. This scenario is the one that is happening at present times – oil producing countries and OPEC are forced to raise their prices, or willingness to accept, due to their depleting oil reserves and not primarily because of the high demand in the market, while consumers shoulders all of the burden (Newscientist.com 2007). The Supply and Demand of Oil In the recent years, the prices of oil in the international market has been increasing due to the depletion of oil reserves of many oil producing countries and member countries of OPEC. This issue has already been discussed in the previous part of this paper. It was identified that the price of oil in the world market already breaks its previous records. The price of oil in the world market per barrel as one the previous month is averaging to $140/barrel which only suggest how severe the shortage of oil in the world market is. Given a high demand for oil in the market, assuming a constant supply of oil in the market, prices would surely increase significantly since the willingness to accept and willingness to pay of producers and consumers respectively will increase. Since oil is one of the major commodity of most industries nowadays, the demand for oil is overwhelming for most oil exporting countries, and so with OPEC (Muhanna, 2004). But this overwhelming feeling of OPEC and other oil exporting countries won’t last long considering that they do not have enough oil reserves to supply the large demand of consumers in the market. As a result, in order to maintain their present profitability, OPEC and other oil exporting countries are forced to raise the prices of their oil in the market, regardless of the level of demand of consumers for oil. In this regard, if is therefore clear that demand and supply relationship of oil is the one that currently influences the spiking of oil prices in the world market. In this regard, it is therefore clear that demand and supply of oil in the world market is the main factor why oil price has been spiking in the recent years and not because of the above mentioned fallacies about the rising of oil prices raised by â€Å"emotional† based judgment of consumers and ignorant people. References Muhanna, I. (2004). Oil Price Hike. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from http://www.arabnews.com/?page=6section=0article=51086d=6m=9y=2004 Newscientist.com (2007). Depleting Oil Supplies Threaten â€Å"Meltdown in Society†. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/energy-fuels/mg19626273.900-depleting-oil-supplies-threaten-meltdown-in-society.html Peopledaily.com.cn (2004). Ten Specious Fallacies on Current World’s High Oil Prices. Retrieved 26, 2008, from http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200409/07/eng20040907_156168.html Schoen, J. W. (2004). How Long will the Word’s Oil Last? Retrieved July 26, 2008, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5945678/

Romanticism and Realism in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Free Essay Writer

Romanticism and Realism in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Herman Melville in â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses,† (The Literary World August 17, 24, 1850) has a noteworthy comment on Hawthorne’s romantic style:    And now, my countrymen, as an excellent author, of your own flesh and blood,--an unimitating, and perhaps, in his way, an inimitable man--whom better can I commend to you, in the first place, than Nathaniel Hawthorne. He is one of the new, and far better generation of your writer. The smell of your beeches and hemlocks is upon him; your own broad prairies are in his soul; and if you travel away inland into his deep and noble nature, you will hear the far roar of his Niagara.    Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† includes both the â€Å"inimitable,† nature-oriented style of romanticism as well as elements of realism.    M. H. Abrams defines romantic themes in prominent writers of this school in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as being five in number: (1) innovations in the materials, forms and style; (2) that the work involve a â€Å"spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings†; (3) that external nature be a persistent subject with a â€Å"sensuous nuance† and accuracy in its description; (4) that the reader be invited to identify the protagonist with the author himself; and (5) that this be an age of â€Å"new beginnings and high possibilities† for the person (177-79).    Let us examine â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† in light of the above. First of all, Hawthorne was a real innovator in his use of the psychological approach to characters within a story. A. N. Kaul considers Hawthorne â€Å"preeminently a ‘psychological’† writer – â€Å"burrowing, to his utmost ability, into the depths of our common nature, for the purposes of psychological romance. . . .† (2). Q. D. Leavis says: â€Å"Hawthorne has imaginatively recreated for the reader that Calvinist sense of sin. . . . But in Hawthorne, by a wonderful feat of transmutation, it has no religious significance, it is as a psychological state that it is explored† (37). The reader experiences most of the story through the eyes and feelings of the protagonist, Goodman. In the following passage the reader is allowed, as is typical, to read his thoughts:    "Poor little Faith!" thought he, for his heart smote him. "What a wretch am I, to leave her on such an errand! She talks of dreams, too.

Expected Shortfall Essay

Part I describes the calculation ofVaR in its conventional form. For illustrative purposes, Part I will describe parametric VaR on a Gaussian distribution. Part II summarizes known weaknesses in VaR, from inherent model and estimation risk to VaR’s failure to perform under extreme economic stress and VaR’s failure to satisfy the theoretical constraints on â€Å"coherent† measurements of risk. Part Ill describes how to calculate expected shortfall as an extension of conditional VaR. It further describes how expected shortfall, but not VaR, provides a coherent measure of risk. Part Ill then reverses field. It explains how VaR, but not expected shortfall (or, for that matter, nearly every other general spectral measure of risk), satisfies the mathematical requirement of â€Å"elicitability. † Mathematical limitations on measures of risk therefore force regulators and bankers to choose between coherence and elicitability, between theoretically sound consolidation of diverse risks (on one hand) and reliable backtesting of risk forecasts against historical observations. Justin Smith Morrill Professor of Law, Michigan State University (effective July 1, 2013). This paper summarizes a presentation made on April 17, 2013, at Georgetown Law Center’s colloquium on international financial regulation, conducted by Professor Christopher J. drummer. I appreciate comments by Adam Candeub and Jeffrey Sexton. Special thanks to Heather Elaine Worland Chen. Jim Chen Page 1 Electronic copy available Conventional VaR Like modern portfolio theory and the entire edifice of quantitative finance derived from those beginnings,l conventional value-at-risk analysis assumes that risk is rguably represents the most important tool for evaluating market risk as one of several threats to the global financial system. Basel II identifies a version ofVaR analysis as that accord’s preferred tool for assessing banks’ exposure to market risk. 4 Authorities around the world have endorsed VaR, either as a regulator standard or as a best practice. Even absent regulatory compulsion, private firms routinely use VaR as an internal risk management tool, often directing traders to reduce exposure below the level prescribed by those firms’ own VaR limits.

No Child Left Behind Essay

The education policy that I chose is on education today and the influence of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. In 2001, President George W. Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act. The NCBL is a United States Act of Congress, which includes Title 1 (program for disadvantaged students offered by the government). This Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills. Each state is required to give these assessments to all students to receive federal school funding. This Act does not set the standards nationwide; each individual state sets the standards. Diane Ravitch, an education philosopher was a supporter of this Act when it was being passed. She believed that every child had the right to a proper education. As the years passed she acquired more experience and knowledge on the Act, and is now completely opposed to the NCLB Act. Ravitch believes that the states dumb down the standards in light of the NCLB. The question now is: is the No Child Left Behind Act se eking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? Under NCLB, the accountability of a child’s education is examined by the Federal government and turned into the hands of the state. This was the first time an American president has set a goal of universal proficiency in reading and mathematics for all children. The federal emphasis on literacy, reading, and mathematics emphasizes teacher and school accountability, with negative consequences when schools do not meet established improvement goals (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). Under NCLB the state must have accountability provisions that include how they will close the achievement gap. According to the Department of Education the achievement gap is defined as such; The difference between how well low-income and minority children perform on standardized tests as compared with their peers. For many years, low-income and minority children have fallen behind their white peers in terms of academic achievement (Department of Education, 2002). States must also monitor that every student not excluding the disadvantaged achieve academic proficiency. Yearly assessments must be produced to inform parents of the progress of both the state and the  community. Schools that do not meet the academic proficiency standards must offer supplemental services and take corrective action. If within five years the school is still not making yearly progress, than dramatic changes in the school’s academic direction must be made. Dramatic changes according to the Department of Education are defined as follows; â€Å"†¦additional changes to ensure improvement.† The definition raises the question of whether there is a plan for failure at all. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, in its â€Å"National Report Card† shows that these goals may be falling short. Students in fourth grade show temporary improvement in math right after No Child Left Behind became a law, but returned to pre-reform growth rate. The NAEP estimates that by 2014 less than 25% of financially challenged and African American students will achieve NAEP proficiency in reading. Using the same time frame less than half the financially challenged and African American students will obtain proficiency in math. With so much pressure on the states to perform well, a trend is becoming apparent that they are inflating proficiency levels of students. This causes discrepancies between the NAEP and state assessments especially among the financially challenged, African American, and Hispanic students. With no sufficient evidence shown on that NCLB is working, the question is as follows; is the federal government capable of running our school systems? There are undoubtedly dangers in the public school system teaching a federally mandated curriculum. When one controls people’s perception of history, one controls the present. There is, of course, a point to be made that if the nations’ children are kept in watered down public schools, positions of power will be opened to the children of the aristocracy, who without fail, are being sent to private schools. So many of those Politicians who stand in the way of allowing poor children to escape failing schools, send their own children to private schools (sic). In New York City, where I have spent most of my professional life, both the current and the past chancellor of schools sent their children to private schools. Six of the seven members of the now-defunct Board of Education had  also sent their children to private schools at one time or another. One might add to the list other notables in New York-the governor, the mayor, the leaders of both houses of the legislature, and the junior U.S. senator (and former first lady). In fact, I cannot remember a mayor of the city who sent his children to public school (Viteritti, 2003). The reports of success of NCLB are encouraging to those who support the project. There have been schools in Sterling, Virginia and New York City that have received No Child Left Behind blue ribbons for their success in closing the achievement gap. Other schools have earned national praise for instituting such curriculum as â€Å"Fit for the Future,† a standards-based health and fitness curriculum for grades 1-10; and an anti-bullying intervention program in York, Pennsylvania (Department of Education, 2005). These programs are used to show the benefits of NCLB but are they academic necessities? The curriculum in a kindergarten class in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin included a lesson entitled â€Å"The Little Convincer.† In which a state trooper came into the classroom with a mechanism designed to simulate a car accident. In a discussion about car seat laws, a topic critics of the curriculum call too heady for kindergarteners, the students, ages five to six years old, were asked repeatedly which one of them were actively using car seats, and whether their parents wore seat belts as well. One child who innocently told the officer that his daddy did not wear his seatbelt was told by the trooper that his daddy could go through the windshield and the glass would cut his face and arms like ribbons, and once he hit the road, the car would roll on top of him. The dramatic lesson ended with each of the students taking a turn in the mechanism that simulated the car crash. The officer would speak softly to the child asking them questions about their class or the clothes that they were wearing and when the child began to speak would jerk them forward violently to teach them that an accident could happen at anytime. The question is, are these academic lessons that parents assume that their children are attending school for? Is placing the curriculum in the hands of legislators going to further our children’s grasp of the three R’s as most parents hope, or are they going to be taught how to become complacent law abiding citizens? The problem in purposing that the public school system is flawed beyond repair is offering an alternative that people are comfortable with. When a conversation about privatizing the school system begins many questions must be answered to abate the fears of the public. Would privatizing schools be affordable to all families? Many debates have waged on the validity of a voucher program, allowing families to choose any school they desire whether it is parochial, private, public, or chartered. Without public schools, there are no taxes necessary to support the program, and that money can be returned to the families of school aged children, creating extra funds for private education. In a system of free market education the individual and specialized institutions of learning would have to compete for students, because the money would be linked to the students themselves. Never in the history of the free market have advances been made without competition. When the monopoly on our children’s future ends, a true marketplace of ideas will be born. In an interview with US News, Ravitch was asked â€Å"What needs to happen to make the law more effective for school?† she responded â€Å"I think the main thing to change is . . . to get rid of the remedies and the sanctions because the remedies don’t work and the sanctions don’t work. What No Child Left Behind has given the United States is an atmosphere of punitiveness. The word accountability has come to be a synonym for punish. If students don’t learn, it’s the teachers’ fault. Fire the teachers. Close the schools. We’re now on a wrecking mission to destroy American public education.† Ravitch has completely rejected this Act, and believes we should do something to make our education system stronger. I questioned? Is the No Child Left Behind Act seeking to repair the problem, or is it the cause? I now have the answer. The NCLB Act sounded very tempting as it was passed by congress, and many like Diane Ravitch had hopes in such a great project for our education system, but everything is not perfect. The NCBL offers great support to schools, although standardized testing is not the correct way of determining the amount of financial support each school deserves or requires. After long hours of research I believe that the No Child Left Behind Act has taken a part in the cause of our problem in our education system today. Schools will not improve if the value is set only on what is tested. â€Å"The tests we have now provide useful information about students’ progress in reading and mathematics, but they cannot measure what matters most in education.† (Ravitch. The Death and Life of The Great American School System, pg. 226) In order to improve our public school system we must start by focusing on our schools, offering them an authentic and sincere education that encourages our students to learn.

Table of Common Ka Values for Weak Acids

Table of Common Ka Values for Weak Acids Ka is the equilibrium constant for the dissociation reaction of a weak acid. A weak acid is one which only partially dissociates in water or an aqueous solution. The value of Ka is used to calculate pH of weak acids. The pKa value is used to choose a buffer when needed. Choosing an acid or base where pKa is close to the pH needed gives the best results. Relating pH, Ka, and pKa pH, Ka, and pKa are all related to each other. For an acid HA: Ka [H][A-] / [HA]pKa - log KapH - log([H]) At the halfway point on an equivalence curve,  pHpKa Ka of Weak Acids Name Formula Ka pKa acetic HC2H3O2 1.8 x 10-5 4.7 ascorbic (I) H2C6H6O6 7.9 x 10-5 4.1 ascorbic (II) HC6H6O6- 1.6 x 10-12 11.8 benzoic HC7H5O2 6.4 x 10-5 4.2 boric (I) H3BO3 5.4 x 10-10 9.3 boric (II) H2BO3- 1.8 x 10-13 12.7 boric (III) HBO32- 1.6 x 10-14 13.8 carbonic (I) H2CO3 4.5 x 10-7 6.3 carbonic (II) HCO3- 4.7 x 10-11 10.3 citric (I) H3C6H5O7 3.2 x 10-7 6.5 citric (II) H2C6H5O7- 1.7 x 105 4.8 citric (III) HC6H5O72- 4.1 x 10-7 6.4 formic HCHO2 1.8 x 10-4 3.7 hydrazidic HN3 1.9 x 10-5 4.7 hydrocyanic HCN 6.2 x 10-10 9.2 hydrofluoric HF 6.3 x 10-4 3.2 hydrogen peroxide H2O2 2.4 x 10-12 11.6 hydrogen sulfate ion HSO4- 1.2 x 10-2 1.9 hypochlorous HOCl 3.5 x 10-8 7.5 lactic HC3H5O3 8.3 x 10-4 3.1 nitrous HNO2 4.0 x 10-4 3.4 oxalic (I) H2C2O4 5.8 x 10-2 1.2 oxalic (II) HC2O4- 6.5 x 10-5 4.2 phenol HOC6H5 1.6 x 10-10 9.8 propanic HC3H5O2 1.3 x 10-5 4.9 sulfurous (I) H2SO3 1.4 x 10-2 1.85 sulfurous (II) HSO3- 6.3 x 10-8 7.2 uric HC5H3N4O3 1.3 x 10-4 3.9

Sati & Sutee Tradition in India - History of Sati Tradition Research Paper

Sati & Sutee Tradition in India - History of Sati Tradition - Research Paper Example Hinduism contains a collection of scriptures written for over four thousand years. Among these writing, discrepancies on widow burning led many to exalt the act while others condemned it in the name of religion. During Vishnusmriti, widows were provided with two options: celibacy or immolation. The Ninayasindu later declared sati as a widow’s essential duty; so did the Puritans of the 6th century. These texts went further to elaborate on how the act was to be performed. In the years that followed, religious leaders and followers deified women who sacrificed themselves and became sites. Regardless of the religious interpretation of the act, the practice became deeply embedded in Indian culture. This presented new challenges to people trying to eradicate it. In addition, the social value accorded to widows who sacrificed themselves presented more barriers. Widows were perceived as worthless, with very low social status making a life for them unbearable. Widows who did not want to go ahead with the practice were coerced, physically forced or threatened onto the pyre. In many cases, the male relatives played a significant role in a widow’s decision to pursue sati. The demise of sati is attributed to British ruling during the 19th century. The British colonialist had refrained from interfering with Indian tradition, culture, and practices. The British rarely tried to enforce change in Muslim or Hindu practices. The governor general to India, however, in the 19th century wondered whether the British government should take measures to eliminate static.

Determinism verus Free Will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Determinism verus Free Will - Essay Example This was not only an accepted conceptual position, it was also a computational fact of life with all of the then-existing sex-role orientation measures. However, Constantinople's (1973) conceptual reorganization allowed for the possibility of two independent dimensions: masculinity and femininity. From this new vantage point, one is not forced to deny one set of characteristics in order to assert possession of high levels of the other. Now, people can be different combinations (conceptually and computationally): high on both masculinity and femininity (androgynous); high on one and low on the other (stereotypically masculine or stereotypically feminine); or low on both dimensions (undifferentiated). It was this simple, conceptual reformulation that appeared to spark the present revolution in sex-role research. Might a similar reformulation of the free will-determinism question stimulate new solutions to an antinomy that has perplexed thinkers for more than 25 centuries Before sketching a re-conceptualization of the free will versus determinism issue, this article will offer a working scientist's or a counseling practitioner's specification of the issues--not a philosopher's reformulation of this seemingly everlasting controversy. ... , in so defining these terms, it becomes unclear exactly what the implications of these conceptual moves (and research findings) might be for philosophical debate on the issues of agency, mechanistic determinism, self-determination, and free will. There have been many different construals of free will (van Inwagen, 1983) over the last two and a half millennia. Some of these construals (e.g., free will results from the absence of any physical constraint upon the agent) clearly do not square with the arguments and research summarized herein. Whenever an agent makes a choice (and then acts for the sake of that choice), however, one might see it as a free choice (and act) if indeed the agent might have chosen to do otherwise ceteris paribus (i.e., all other things being equal). The notion of free will entertained herein is seen in Robert Frost's (1951) poem "The Road Not Taken." Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. If Frost's (1951) traveller had also been able to choose "the road more [italics added] traveled by" but instead opted for "the road less [italics added] traveled by," one might assert that he or she had made a free choice. But since the time of Heraclitus (with his point that one can never step in the same river twice), philosophers and scientists recognized the virtual impossibility of meeting the demands of the ceteris paribus condition in such cases. Fortunately, new experimental methodologies now allow for the testing of the causal force of free choice in studies that do fully meet the requirements of the ceteris paribus assumption (see Howard & Myers, 1989). Like free will, the meaning of determinism has changed over time. "Determinism" was until the mid-nineteenth century a theory