Most Influential Man in History Benjamin Franklin free essay sample

Compose Benjamin Franklin Intellectual, politician, scientist, and peacemaker, these are Just a few words to describe Benjamin Franklin, one of the most influential men in history. His roles in all aspects of life are quite important, especially in politics. Benjamin Franklin is called the first American because of his role in the formation of the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on Most Influential Man in History: Benjamin Franklin or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Aside from that he is one of our founding fathers, helped to write the Declaration of Independence, he served as a U. S ambassador to France, and before his death contributed to the constitutional convention and worked to free slaves. BenjaminFranklin was born of the working class family; his father was a candle maker while his mom raised a family of thirteen children. Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 but his political career didnt escalate until the sasss. In 1751 Franklin was elected into the Pennsylvania assembly, and a couple years after was appointed post master of the United States. In 1957 he was sent to England by the Assembly, Franklin was on the good side of the British until the stamp Act. The stamp act outraged Franklin, shortly after that Franklin found secret letters from Thomas Hutchinson, the governor of Massachusetts who was working for the king.Franklin sent these letters back to the U. S which caused a major scandal and caused him to have to leave Europe. When Franklin arrived to Philadelphia, the American Revolution had already begun and was just in time to help draft and sign the Declaration of Independence. Franklin continues to help unite and aid the country by becoming the first ambassador to France. While in France Franklin talked wonders about the new country and won the French people over, creating a French American alliance. HIS work didnt end there, after that he sat through the constitutional convention and helps convince the other tastes to sign for the constitution.Lastly before he dies he also started to work on eliminating slavery and became president of the Pennsylvania Abolitionist society. Its difficult to summarize the contributions that Benjamin Franklin has Compose accomplished on behalf of The United States. Benjamin Franklins basic principles come from his Puritan background and his hard working attitude derives from his working class family (which he Is proud of). Another way political colonization affected Franklins political views Is his travels to Europe making him more open indeed and realizing the colonies had to unify. Living In England also caused him to like the British Just because their living conditions were superior to the young nation and could relate to Intellectual minds In Europe. Also due to Franklins travels and contributions as a scientist, this led him to be a messenger of Enlightenment to America which had already spread throughout most of Europe. All In all he was considered liberal for his time and one of the greatest contributors to all aspects of life Including government. Most Influential Man in History: Benjamin Franklin By valorousFrench people over, creating a French American alliance. His work didnt end there, accomplished on behalf of The United States. Benjamin Franklins basic principles working class family (which he is proud of). Another way political colonization affected Franklins political views is his travels to Europe making him more open minded and realizing the colonies had to unify. Living in England also caused him to and could relate to intellectual minds in Europe. Also due to Franklins travels and America which had already spread throughout most of Europe. All in all he was life including government.

Using El Over La for Spanish Feminine Words

Using El Over La for Spanish Feminine Words El is the singular, masculine definite article, meaning the, in Spanish and is used to define masculine nouns, while la is the feminine version. But there are a few instances where el is used with feminine nouns. Gender in Words An interesting thing about Spanish is the fact that words have gender. A word is considered male or female, depending on what the word refers to and how it ends. A general rule of thumb is if a word ends in -o, it is most likely masculine, and if a word ends in -a, it is most likely feminine. If the word is describing a female person, then the word is feminine and vice versa. Definite Articles for Nouns In most cases, el is used for masculine nouns and la is used for feminine nouns. Another rule supersedes this, and that is when the feminine noun is singular and starts with a stressed a- or ha- sound, like the words agua, meaning water, or hambre, meaning hunger. The reason the definite article becomes el is mostly a matter of how it sounds to say la agua and la hambre and the clunkiness of the double-a sounds repeating. It sounds more definitive to say el agua and el hambre. There is a similar grammar rule in English about the use of the an versus a. An English speaker would say, an apple instead of a apple. The two repeating double-a sounds are too close to each other and sound too repetitive. The English rule  states that an, which is an indefinite article modifying the noun, comes before nouns that have a vowel sound at the beginning of the word and a comes before consonant-starting nouns. Feminine Words that Use the Masculine Article Notice the substitution of el for la takes place when it comes immediately before words starting with an a sound. Feminine Nouns English Translation el agua the water el ama de casa the housewife el asma asthma el arca the ark el hambre hunger el hampa the underworld el arpa the harp el guila the eagle If the feminine noun is modified by  adjectives  that follow the noun in the sentence, the feminine noun retains the masculine article. Feminine Nouns English Translation el agua purificada purified water el arpa paraguaya the Paraguayan harp el hambre excesiva excessive hunger Reverting Back to the Feminine Article The thing to remember is that words that are feminine remain feminine. The reason why this matters is if the word becomes plural, the word goes back to using the feminine definite article. In this case, the definite article becomes las. It sounds fine to say las arcas  since the s in las breaks up the double-a sound. Another example is las amas de casa. If a word intervenes between the definite article and the noun,  la  is used. Feminine Nouns English Translation la pura agua pure water la insoportable hambre the unbearable hunger la feliz ama de casa the happy housewife la gran guila the great eagle If the accent of the noun is not on the first syllable, the definite article la is used with singular feminine nouns when they begin with a- or ha-. Feminine Nouns English Translation la habilidad the skill la audiencia the audience la asamblea the meeting The substitution of el for la does not occur before adjectives that begin with a stressed a- or ha-, the rule only applies to nouns, despite the double-a sound.   Feminine Nouns English Translation la alta muchacha the tall girl la agria experiencia the bitter experience Exceptions to the Rule There a few exceptions to the rule that el substitutes for la immediately before a noun that begins with a stressed a- or ha-. Note, the letters of the alphabet, called  letras  in Spanish, which is a feminine noun, are all feminine. Feminine Nouns English Translation la rabe the Arabic woman La Haya The Hague la a the letter A la hache the letter H la haz uncommon word for face, not to be confused with el haz,meaning shaft or beam Feminine Words Can Use the Masculine Indefinite Article Most grammarians consider it correct for feminine words to take the masculine indefinite article un instead of una under the same conditions where la is changed to el. It is for the same reason  la is changed to el, to eliminate the double-a sound of the two words together.   Feminine Nouns English Translation un guila an eagle un ama de casa a housewife Although this is widely considered correct grammar, this usage is not universal. In everyday spoken language, this rule is irrelevant, due to elision, which is the omission of sounds, especially as words flow together. In pronunciation, there is no difference between un guila and una guila.

Christmas and New Year Quotes

Christmas and New Year Quotes What do the wise and witty say about Christmas and the New Year? You can use these quotes for inspiration and see who is a kindred spirit. You might want to include one in your holiday greeting cards, social media posts, or family Christmas letter. Reach out to friends or relatives on the other side of the planet and shower them with these caring words. Phillips Brooks Christmas day is a day of joy and charity. May God make you very rich in both. W. J. Cameron There has been only one Christmas- the rest are anniversaries. Sydney Smith Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment. Erma Bombeck Theres nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child. Pat Boone The Christmas spirit love changes hearts and lives. Isabel Currier It is the personal thoughtfulness, the warm human awareness, the reaching out of the self to ones fellow man that makes giving worthy of the Christmas spirit. Patricia Clafford Christmas is a time to expand our giving encompassing the friendless and needy... near and far. Christmas is sharing. Debbie Harry I always work on New Years Eve, no matter what. Charles Lamb No one ever regarded the first of January with indifference. It is that from which all date their time, and count upon what is left. It is the nativity of our common Adam. Edward Payson Powell The old year has gone. Let the dead past bury its own dead. The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! Mark Twain Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. Buddha There is only one time when it is essential to awaken. That time is now. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin The ills from which we are suffering have their seat in the very foundation of human thought. But today something is happening to the whole structure of human consciousness. A fresh kind of life is starting. Charles Dickens It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. T. S. Eliot For last years words belong to last years language. And next years words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. Ralph Waldo Emerson Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense. William Thomas It wouldnt be New Years if I didnt have regrets.

Big business Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Big business - Term Paper Example But others were not happy with these developments and thought these companies and men had too much power and they sought to challenge them with new laws. Economic power should never be so consolidated that it eclipses the needs of the Republic. Roosevelt considered himself a progressive, and he felt that many of these new big companies, the trusts, were having a negative effect on ordinary American lives. He felt they needed new regulations and rules in order to do business more fairly. When he looked at the American economic scene, he saw workers being exploited, shoddy products being created, a lack of competition, and a sense of impunity. Not only were these things unjust in their own way, he believed they would also be economically detrimental in the longer term. He decided to challenge the Robber Barons and return power to the people. Importantly, he wasn’t going to challenge the right of someone to try to make such money or the system that produces such inequalities, but only the inequality itself. This, of course, was a delicate balancing act. There has always been a debate about how much influence the government should have over the economy. Indeed, this debate continues to this day with President Obama desiring more regulation and interference, and the Republican Party standing for freedom and less government intrusion. Then as now, it was true that too much interference would quash innovation. The longer it takes to start a business and the more oversight a business is subject to, the less innovative and profitable it will be. The higher the taxes a business must pay, the less profitable it will be. Government regulation can destroy businesses. However, Roosevelt didn't see it that way. He saw monopolies and trusts sprouting up everywhere, killing competition (Dalton, 204). He felt some minimum standards of regulation were required to prevent business from taking over government and exploiting people merely to increase the profit margin. What r esulted from Roosevelt's desire to regulate American business and show them who was in charge? Three main pieces of legislation were rammed through Congress. Each has had a major influence on American life ever since. The first major change was to create the Department of Commerce which would oversee business and trade in the country. Roosevelt felt that there was not enough control wielded by the government over business and that business was free to influence any member of government. Creating a central department to deal with all of these issues would free him and other leaders to deal with other matters. Around the time Roosevelt was considering all of these issues, a writer by the name of Upton Sinclair wrote a book about meat production in the U.S. that illustrated the low quality of the food product and the manner in which it was disgustingly adulterated. The Jungle was actually intended as a claim for socialism, but it became a rallying cry for food safety and regulation. Th is book caused an uproar. Roosevelt was not convinced of its conclusions so he sent his own men to do an inspection of a number of factories. What they found appalled him. The quality of the meat and the conditions in the factories were unacceptable. He stood tall and passed an Act to ensure higher standards. The nineteenth century saw a significant increase in the sale of pharmaceuticals. But like food, they were often impure or mislabeled. These drugs could be

BHS 455 (Computer & Information Systems) Module 2 SLP Essay

BHS 455 (Computer & Information Systems) Module 2 SLP - Essay Example Now the aim of this module is to select the better information system communication technology that will involve the data and information collection and processing areas. Here I will describe the information exchange procedure and its purpose. This research will also outline the key Inputs, Processes and Outputs that are used in the overall communication system. UHB (University Hospital Birmingham) is the healthcare organization I have selected for the assessment for which we are going to implement the information technology system. UHB (University Hospital Birmingham) Foundation Trust was honored a excellent ranking for excellence of service as well as outstanding for utilize of resources regarding the patients life safety, this rating is established by the Healthcare Commission yearly Health repot 2007. Here I will outline the main departmental and organization structure of the University Hospital Birmingham. This departmental division will provide a great help regarding the technology needs assessment and technology implementation areas. This will also help us to outline the important data and information areas from where we can access the data for the better organizational data and information utilize. The basic aim of development of health care management and handling system is to provide a better working platform to the business and managing the hospital in a better way. For the University Hospital Birmingham it is really essential, because for such huge business we need a system that can centralize the whole working departments and management areas. The manual management of such system is really difficult so we need a system with better management capabilities, so there is great need of inter-departmental communication for the effective management of staffing, resources, treatment, finances, and demand, need and supply. We have planned an information system structure that will comprise the organizational LAN (Local

Immunizations and Autism Essay Example for Free

Immunizations and Autism Essay Immunizations and Autism Seven years ago I took my son to his doctor appointment to receive his one year immunization shots; little did I know that my little boy would never be the same again. I was furious when the doctor told me that my son now had autism! How could this be, I thought, he was fine before his immunizations? I did some research and found out that immunizations are filled with poisons and can cause serious side affects, autism being one of them. Autism is a developmental disability that affects one in every one hundred and fifty children in the United States (Rozario). It causes sensory issues, communication delays, and social problems amongst many other side effects. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest growing developmental disability in the US alone. It has increased one hundred and seventy-two percent since the 1990s, and the number of those diagnosed continues to grow. The media refers to autism as a world-wide epidemic (Rozario). There are many different treatments for autism, but there is still no cure, and the link between immunizations and autism is a huge controversial topic. There are many sources explaining the link etween the two, as well as there are sources that try to dispute the idea. The link between autism and immunization shots has been an ongoing debate for many years. There have been multiple studies done to try and disprove that autism could be caused by immunizations, but there is also a lot of research that links autism with immunization shots. Many believe that the immunizations are a cause of autism. RataJczak wrote an article entitled Theoretical aspects of autism: Causes. She did what nobody else apparently has bothered to do. She reviewed not Just one theory uggested by research, such as the role of MMR shots, or the mercury preservative thimerosal; but all of them (Rozario). Documented causes of autism include genetic mutations and dilations, viral infections, and brain damage, after receiving the vaccinations. Therefore autism is the result of genetic defects and inflammation of the brain (Rozario). Some doctors believe that the vac cines are scientifically linked to brain damage, but not scientifically linked to autism. Doctors often argue on this topic. Some seriously believe the immunizations cause autism, and will even advise arents not to get certain shots. While there are many other doctors who will refuse to say that there is any link at all. Yet they do not say why they disagree or give any other reasons or opinions of where autism comes from. Despite official insistence that the evidence linking injected thimerosal to autism is inconclusive, the data suggests otherwise. Considering what is put into the vaccines that are injected into hours-old infants, it is easy to understand why they are at the top of the list of suspects. These vaccines include: formaldehyde (used in embalming), thimerosal nearly 50% mercury), aluminum phosphate (toxic and carcinogenic), antibiotics, phenols (corrosive to skin and toxic), aluminum salts (corrosive to tissue and neurotoxic), methanol (toxic), isopropyl (toxic), 2-pheoxyethano (toxic), live viruses, and a host of unknown components considered off limits as trade secrets (Omeara). These are Just part ot the vaccine mixture. The tact that doctors are 0k witn injecting babies with all these toxic chemicals blows my mind! Another factor that has not been widely discussed is human DNA contained in vaccines. Human tissue is currently used in twenty-three vaccinations. Ever since the introduction of human DNA to MMR vaccinations there has been an increase in autism incidences. The DNA is incorporated into the host DNA, now it has changed and the altered self and body kills it (Rozario). This is most expressed in the neurons of the brain, so now you have body killing the brain cells and it becomes an ongoing inflammation. It does not stop, it continues through the life of that individual (Rozario). There have also been an increasing number of vaccines given in a short period of time which can throw the bodys immune system out of balance, and babies already have a low immune system ecause they are so young. The MMR and Hepatitis B vaccines are said to be the vaccinations that have autism as a highly possible side effect. Several national autism groups are actively addressing a vaccine induced cause for the disease. The first Hepatitis B vaccine was liscenced in 1986, and by 1991 it became the first DNA vaccine to be recommended by the CDC (Center of Disease Control) as a universal childhood vaccine. With increased use of the vaccine, reports have come in from around the country of serious autoimmune and neurological reactions to the vaccine (Rozario, 2002). With such reports as this you would think that doctors would reconsider what they are putting in the immunization shots before they are injected into babies. Vaccines linked to autism have even gone to the courts. A federal vaccine court ruled that the preponderance of evidence suggested that a nine year old girls autism was in fact caused by the vaccinations she received as a child. Autism activists said that the decision was the first official admission that vaccines can cause autism. There are currently over 5,000 autism cases pending in the vaccine court today (Bailey). Cases like the nine year old little girl happen all the time, but they usually do not go anywhere or get resolved. Could you imagine if they finally admitted to vaccinations causing autism? There would be millions of lawsuits like this and a lot of angry parents, which makes me think they will never admit it because it will cost them way to much money. Autism is a huge world wide epidemic that is still on the rise. Many people have different views on what causes autism, but it is no secret among government and health officials that mercury is extremely toxic, and causes serious adverse reactions. Parents of autistic children wonder when health officials will wake up to the epidemic that has claimed hundreds of thousands of children in the United States, with no end in sight.

Was World War I a total war? Essay -- essays research papers fc

Was World War One a total war? Why? Why not? The First World War of 1914-1918, also known as the Great War, was the first total war in history. What began as a European struggle over the balance of power between the triple alliance of France, Britain and Russia on one side and the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary on the other, soon became a global conflict that involved the imperial powers of Europe, their colonies and lands such as the Ottoman Empire, Japan and the United States. Although the sheer number of countries involved in the conflict is enough to describe the First World War as a mass war, what makes it total is the fact that it was waged not only against the enemy’s armies, but also against the civilian population. Military attacks, the use of propaganda and the fact that governments had to mobilise every available human and material resource for the conduct of war affected non-combatants and made World War One a war not fought between armies, but entire societies. Civilians became targets of warfare because their efforts were crucial to the outcome of the war. While fifteen million soldiers died , untold millions suffered off the battlefield. One weapon that had a major effect on warfare in 1914-1918 was the submarine. Since all Britain’s supplies were seaborne, enemies such as Germany resorted to starving the population by destroying British supply ships. The British also found it an effective tactic to blockade supplies to Germany, starving the German war economy and population. Air raids were also a reality for citizens and the general populace had to be ready for the enemy to strike at any time. Attacks were not always so random. An Armenian woman tells of her experiences of being taken from her city with her children, knowing that she was going to be killed - â€Å"I was in the last caravan to leave the city; we knew they were leading us to our deaths†¦there was a well wide open where the executioners immediately threw the wo men they were stabbing.† This is an example that shows how women and children suffered in a conflict that many did not understand or want to be a part of. The use of propaganda and the war of words between belligerents played a big part in making the First World War total, as â€Å"the orgy of killing on the battlefield took place against the backdrop of an orgy of loaded words.† The government and press were able... ...d be directly or indirectly involved in the war – if not physically involved in battle, they could be emotionally affected by the use of propaganda or manipulated by misleading information. Finally, the First World War was waged with armaments that require entire economies to produce them. This means that the war was total because non-combatant involvement in the war effort was essential. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bentley, Jerry H. & Ziegler, Herbert F., Traditions & Encounters, (New York, 2003). Demm, Eberhard, ‘Propaganda and Caricature in the First World War’, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 28, No. 1. (1993), pp. 163-192. Hobsbawm, Eric, ‘The Age of Total War’, Age of Extremes, Michael Joseph, 1994. 21-53. Marquis, Alice Goldfarb, ‘Words as Weapons: Propaganda in Britain and Germany during the First World War’, Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 13, No. 3. (1978), pp. 467-498. PRIMARY SOURCES Lines of Fire. Women Writers of World War I, edited by Margaret Higonnet (New York, 1999): Gadarinee Dadourian, ‘A Mother’s Deportation’, pp.280-1. Mike Iavarone, â€Å"Trenches on the Web: Posters from the Great War,† http://www.worldwar1.com/posters.htm#ger

Novel: 19 Minutes Essay

As kids grow up, they go through several stages to find out who they truly are. Some kids are very social and have many friends, when others are shy and not considered the coolest kids around. Jodi Picoult demonstrates isolation impeccably in her novel Nineteen Minutes by delving beneath the surface of a small town to explore what it means to be different in today’s society. She shows how one can lose a friend, how people make someone feel bad; in order to feel good about themselves, and how isolation can lead to death related situations. Teenagers and kids in general, as they grow up they tend to change their friends multiple times. In the novel, Peter Houghton and Josie Cormier are very close friends since their childhood. Josie, unlike Peter, stands up for herself and even Peter sometimes, since he is mostly picked on. One day, when Josie and Peter are young, he decides to show her his father’s shotgun, which he uses to hunt with. Alex, Josie’s mothers, catche s them, and was furious saying â€Å"My daughter has been coming over to your house for how long, and you’ve got guns lying around† (Picoult 81)? The mothers from this day on stop being friends, which leads the kids to stop going to each other’s houses, although they still manage to play at school. Josie did not want to isolate Peter, because they are really good friends. Another thing that occurs in the novel, is that when a new girl joined Peter and Josie’s class, she is not very noticed. One day Peter â€Å"notice[s] that [she is] sitting in the middle of an ink stain† (Picoult 158). After Peter realizes that this is not an ink stain and the girl has actually got her period, he screams out: â€Å"Dolores has her period† (Picoult 158)! And then the whole class joins and starts laughing, including Josie. Peter, for a while, enjoys not being the one made fun of for once, but once they kids start teasing her, Peter decides to put a â€Å"sto p†(Picoult 159) to it. After this incident, Josie along with the popular kids continue†¦

Maintaining Reliability

If you do your banking online you will find that occasionally when you go to access your account information, it is sometimes not available†¦usually during odd hours of the night or early morning. An error message may appear on the screen advising you that the information requested is not currently available due to system †maintenance†. Later, when get back online to check on your account, all of your account information, such as balance and items posted, has been updated. With something as important as finances, the reliability you depend on with your bank is what the bank’s reputation rides on. The bank’s ability to maintain your account in a reliable manner is what keeps your business at that particular bank. Not limited to banking, reliability and maintenance are important in business operations. Many business-specific meanings for the words â€Å"reliability† and â€Å"maintenance† exist, but overall, everything boils down to one standard: without reliability and without maintenance, business is not business as usual. Generally defined, reliability is the ability of a system to perform and maintain its functions in routine circumstances, as well as hostile or unexpected circumstances (Wikipedia, 2006). From a business perspective, simple words such as â€Å"dependable†, â€Å"trustworthy†, â€Å"consistency† and â€Å"repeatability† can better explain what reliability’s meaning really is (Trochim, 2006). A long time client continues business with an organization for the â€Å"reliability† the organization provides†¦for the organization’s ability to either provide the same results time and again, or to provide improved results. With this in mind, the term â€Å"maintenance† comes into play. Maintenance is defined as the act of maintaining or the state of being maintained, and the work of keeping something in proper condition (Webster, 2006). To ensure reliability, an oorganization must maintain the manner in which they provide a service. Microsoft, for example,  is constantly â€Å"tweaking† the software programs they provide to home and businesses users. They do this to ensure that their customers can continue to enjoy a secure, hassle-free (for the most part) experience with today’s computer technology. In addition to hiring computer programming and IT experts to maintain their product, Microsoft provides a link on their main website for customers to report any problems they may encounter while using their product, which assists in covering all aspects of performing proper maintenance (Microsoft, 2007). Those little â€Å"system update† pop-up’s you receive while doing work on your computer are Microsoft’s way of maintaining your computer software for you†¦you don’t even have to set a reminder or perform time-consuming research to ensure that your computer has the latest versions of programs available. Maintenance is not simply about improving a product, but also about making sure that the product continues to be reliable. The â€Å"behind the scenes† maintenance of ensuring a great product is what makes a business reliable and successful. In the end, you can have a great product, but if your business is not reliable, you won’t have a business to run. References: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Merriam-Webster Research Team. (2006) Definition of Maintenance. January 2007 www.webster.com/dictionary/maintenance 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Microsoft Corporation (2006) Microsoft Help and Support. January 2007 www.support.microsoft.com/gp/ContactUsSecHome. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Trochim, William M.K. (2006) Theory of Reliability. January 2007 www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/reliablt.htm. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wikipedia Writing Staff. (2006) Definition of Reliability. January 2007 www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability.   

The Orginal Country Boy essays

The Orginal Country Boy essays A ranch-raised boy from Southwestern Texas made his way up the road to fame slowly but carefully. Along the way he has left an impression on the lives of many people, and captured the hearts of the country music fans everywhere. A large majority of male country music singers can be described as a man with an amazing smile, a great voice who sure know how to fill a pair of Wranglers. Humble and extremely private are the words that are more commonly used to describe George Strait, even though the first description fits him perfectly as well. Overall Strait manifest a public persona as a very country, connected to his roots, soft spoken, private individual. George Strait is a homegrown hottie that was named one of the 50 Sexiest Men by People magazine (Road 1). His overall physical appearance tells the story of his life without all the details. Just at a glance his appearance tells people that he is respectable, well-groomed, clean-cut country boy who has found success. His smile relays his generally positive outlook on life, while the lines in his face tell a story of difficult times. The hard lines and roughness of his hands allow fans to realize he has experienced hard work before leading a life of luxury. For years most of Straits fans were left in the dark about his private life. In public he displays an image of the ideal country singer, which lived a rough life before stardom and since then everything is great. He displays his intelligence by choosing to make the right career moves such as only touring during certain seasons. Strait makes sure that he has plenty of family time. He and his wife Norma are fixtures at his sons team roping events (Holden 43). He also makes sure that all holidays he and his son are able to spend time together riding horses, working cattle and roping on his ranch in Texas (Holden 43). Strait also displayed his love of his country. In 1971 Strait joined t...

Benefit Of Mormon Solution To The Mind-Body Problem Over The Concept Of Dualism, Epiphenomenology, Behaviorism, And Identity

Benefit Of Mormon Solution To The Mind-Body Problem Over The Concept Of Dualism, Epiphenomenology, Behaviorism, And Identity Mormonism: Offering a Solution to the Mind-Body Problem Human beings have physical bodies that can be observed, studied, and predicted. The same cannot be said about the human mind. It is such an intricate, complex thing, and it personally affects every individual on the planet. For centuries, philosophers have been puzzled by its nature. Questions as to whether or not there is a soul, what its relationship is to the body, and how the brain contributes to the mind have perplexed us for millennia. These seemingly unsolvable puzzles are collectively referred to as the mind-body problem. Many of the theories asserted by philosophers fall short in solving this problem. The most pragmatic solution to the mind-body problem comes not from these philosophers, but from a religious philosophy offered by Mormonism. One of the first philosophers to attempt to solve the mind-body problem was Rene Descartes. He sought to understand fully the nature of his own mind, what it was exactly that allowed him to reason and think. After much contemplation, he came to the conclusion that man was a dualistic being—comprised of a material body and an immaterial soul. This theory, referred to as dualism, holds that the soul occupies no space, is not composed of matter, and is an immortal entity. The soul is compared to a ghost residing in and operating the body, a complex machine. He holds that the soul is not â€Å"lodged in the human body exactly like a pilot in a ship, †¦ but that it is necessary for it to be joined and united more closely to the body, in order to have sensations and appetites similar to ours, and this constitute a real man† (Descartes 278). He also claims that â€Å"the soul is of a nature wholly independent of the body, and that consequently it is not liable to die wit h the latter† (Descartes 278). Descartes’ theory implies a life after mortal death; a soul that is immaterial cannot be harmed or destroyed once it is separate from its physical casing. This suggestion is appealing to persons of faith. However, this dualistic theory presents a problem. If the soul is immaterial, it cannot occupy time or space. Yet individual minds seem to exist only within the bodies to which they are connected, and the mind and body function in direct cooperation with one another. An immaterial mind cannot occupy time or space, yet our minds exist within our bodies and our timelines. Descartes’ theory also states that the body and soul interact, but he does not say how; he claims that it takes place in the pineal gland of the brain, but exactly how this interaction takes place there is simply a mystery to be solved. Dualism does not appear to adequately answer the questions of the mind-body problem. After realizing that Descartes’ dualism failed to solve the mind-body problem, philosophers began investigating another theory: phenomenology, or materialism. The basis of materialism is that human beings do not have immaterial minds or souls, but rather experience thought as a result of physical processes. One branch of phenomenology, called Epiphenomenology, takes this to an extreme. David Chalmers hypothesized the possibility that material substance is the only â€Å"mind,† human beings having no consciousness or higher-order cognition. He explains that people could function as computers, only giving pre-programmed responses to external stimuli. Essentially, he theorized that there is no such thing as mind; human beings are merely machinery that has been programmed to give appropriate responses to environmental factors. However, there is one aspect of the human mind that Epiphenomenology fails to explain: altered states of mind. A person can be lost in thought, think ing only of memories or imaginary situations of things to come, and then suddenly become acutely aware of himself and his surroundings. If epiphenomenalism were to hold true, no such thing could possibly occur; epiphenomenological beings have no higher-order cognition and can therefore experience no self-awareness. Individual experience and a distinct sense of self effectively discount the truthfulness of this theory. Another branch of materialism, called behaviorism, ties the meaning of the mind to human behaviors, which are testable and observable. Jerome Shaffer points out that this behaviorist theory is inadequate because â€Å"behavior and behavioral dispositions do not furnish an exhaustive analysis of †¦ mentalistic terms† (Shaffer 285). It is clear that human beings do not actively display every thought that enters their minds; behavior and mind are not one in the same thing. Shaffer presents identity theory as an alternative. Rather than tying mind to behavior, it ties mind to matter. He says that â€Å"thoughts, feelings, wishes, and the rest of so-called mental phenomena are identical with, one and the same thing as, states and processes of the body† (Shaffer 285). Essentially, it claims that thoughts are not only caused by firing synapses inside the brain, but that they are the synaptic firings themselves. This solves the problem of a mysterious, unobservable soul being the root of the mind, as synaptic activity is something that can be studied and monitored with medical technology. Identity theory has problems of its own, however. Paul Churchland says, â€Å"We do not know enough about the intricate functionings of the brain actually to state the relevant identities† (Churchland 317). Identity theorists hold that the mind is physical events occurring in the brain, but no one knows enough of brain function to pinpoint exactly what those events are and what thoughts they cause. Triggering synaptic firing at a particular location in the brain of one might cause one to recall a certain memory, but triggering activity in the same spot on another person’s brain will not bring up the same memory. This inconsistency is not adequately explained by identity theory. Another major issue with identity theory is the fact that thoughts and neural functions are observed as two very different things. A person experiences his own thoughts as memories, wishes, desires, regrets, and emotions. One does not think to oneself, â€Å"Several synapses just fired in my prefrontal cortex.† Rather, one might think, â€Å"That was a lovely trip to the beach. How I would love to go back.† The person experiences â€Å"a domain of thoughts, sensations, and emotions, not a domain of electrochemical impulses in a neural network† (Churchland 319). Perhaps the biggest issue with identity theory is the fact that synaptic firing and thought do not occur simultaneously; there is a gap in between the time when a synapse fires and the time when a person experiences thought. If identity theory were to be true, a synaptic firing and a thought would be one and the same thing, meaning they would have to occur at exactly the same time (Cook). Identity theory was an attempt to solve the mind-body problem in a way that would negate the problems set forth by dualism and behaviorism. Shaffer does not hold identity theory as more than a reasonable explanation for a set of observations; he admits that dualism is still entirely in the realm of the possible. In the end, Shaffer was not entirely satisfied even with this theory, admitting that â€Å"there are grave difficulties in attempts to defend such an identification† (Shaffer 291). Perhaps there is another approach to addressing the mind-body problem. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers an explanation of the nature of the soul that appears to address the questions left unanswered by the other theories. This â€Å"Mormon phenomenology† combines dualism and phenomenology by stating that there is, in fact, a soul, and it is, in fact, comprised of a material substance. Churchland came closer to this idea than most non-Mormon philosophers with his concept of substance dualism: â€Å"†¦the ghost [in the machine] is a spiritual substance, unlike physical matter in its internal constitution, but fully possessed of spatial properties† (Churchland 307). He continues to speculate the possibility that â€Å"†¦interaction [between brain and mind] can perhaps be understood in terms of their exchanging energy in a form that our science has not yet recognized or understood† (Churchland 308). Mormon theology teaches that humans are tripartite beings, composed of body, intelligence, and spirit. Both intelligence and spirit are composed of matter. What philosophers refer to as the phenomena of mind—self-awareness, thoughts, memories, feelings, wishes, and sensations—are attributed to intelligence and spirit by Mormon phenomenology. Essentially, mind is a greater physical entity composed of a material intelligence and a material spirit or soul. The Mormon prophet Joseph Smith received revelation that is recorded in Doctrine Covenants 131:7-8, stating, â€Å"There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned with purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.† These verses of Mormon scripture align with Churchland’s speculations regarding substance dualism. Spirit is made of a pure, refined matter that cannot be seen or studie d using today’s scientific technology. The fact that we are not yet able to see this spiritual matter does not negate the possibility of its existence; we cannot see the particle that causes the force of gravity, and yet evidence leads us to believe in its reality. The same is true of the spirit; compelling evidence is persuasive enough to inductively argue for its existence. The Mormon notion of the soul includes the idea that it is eternal, not unlike Descartes’ notion of an immortal soul. â€Å"Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence †¦ was not created or made, neither can be† (DC 93:29). Our intelligences and spirits have always existed. If intelligence cannot be created, it is reasonable to assert that, like matter, it cannot be destroyed. Mormon phenomenology holds that spirits are eternal and will therefore continue to live after the death of physical bodies. â€Å"For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fullness of joy† (DC 93:33). During this life, the spirit and the body are inseparably connected. The spirit and the body are intertwined and make up a single physical entity with a distinct identity. This notion solves the problem of Descartes’ mysterious, independent soul and the â€Å"ghost in the machine† explanation. The mind-body problem â€Å"is answered by the material nature of spirit† (Riddle 1079). Descartes’ dualist theory suggests that body and spirit are two separate parts of a single being, but this raises the question of how an immaterial soul could possibly occupy time and space. He gives no adequate explanation for how the soul would be tied to the body or how the two would interact. Mormon phenomenology asserts that the body and soul are indeed two different parts of a person, but that both are material and occupy the same physical entity. A physical spirit could very logically be connected to and reside within a material body. Shaffer’s theory fails to address the discrepancies between neural activity and states of mind; Mormon phenomenology takes into account a spirit as another governing entity of the human mind. The notion of a physical spirit also offers an explanation as to why there is a gap between neural impulses and mental activity. The electric charge that passes through the synapse must also go through the spiritual matter that potentially resides somewhere within the brain before it is expressed as a thought, feeling, or sensation. That space of time allows for the spirit to process the thought. This explanation, while logical and pragmatic, is not perfect. As previously mentioned, human beings have not the means nor the ability to observe this highly refined spiritual matter. Given this limitation on our knowledge, we cannot know exactly how the spirit interacts with the body and brain to produce thought, consciousness, and higher-order cognition. There is no deductive proof of the existence of a material spirit, although in this case, inductive reasoning (and lack of other explanations) gives convincing evidence in favor of Mormon phenomenology. As previously mentioned, we have not yet found the graviton, the particle responsible for the force of gravity (Smolin 92). In fact, only 4% of matter in the universe is visible to us (Primack 114). To claim that something cannot exist simply because we cannot see it would be absurd. This Mormon phenomenology implies that there will be an afterlife. If intelligence cannot be created or destroyed, it must live on even after elemental bodies are gone. This notion resonates well with proponents of Descartes’ dualistic theory, as well as with persons of faith. This suggests that there is another place or dimension in which the spirits of the deceased reside, which opens up the possibility of both life in other areas of the universe and different dimensions of reality on planet Earth. This theory also implies that human beings are free moral agents. If a spirit is part of the complex mind, neural impulses are not the sole determinant of thoughts and behaviors. The assertion of a soul leaves room for free will. According to Mormon philosopher Blake Ostler, morally accountable free agents must be able to be a cause of action without being caused to be that, and the only thing that could be such an agent is an eternal intelligence. Nothing causes it to be; it just is, and it always has been. This theory implies that we are not puppets in a deterministic universe, but free moral agents with the ability to choose and control our own behaviors (Ostler). Dualism, Epiphenomenology, behaviorism, and identity theory all appear to fall short in one or more aspects of their explanations; none of these adequately answer the mind-body problem. Mormon phenomenology, with its ideas of a material intelligence and spirit, offers a logical and pragmatic solution to the mind-body problem. Mormonism offers explanations that other theories cannot. In this day and age, this theory not only makes sense, but it appears to be necessary to explain the phenomena of mind.

Professional Learning Communities Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Professional Learning Communities - Assignment Example n ongoing, job-embedded; results driven and a professional development model that fosters collegiality and collaboration among the entire education setting. Alternatively, the intellectual goal of the mission was attained by contributing to some of the existing research bodies, which informs regarding the professional development practices (Baccellieri, 2010). Before implementing the process, the school had to communicate its vision first. In this case, individuals involved had to begin developing a shared vision that was grounded towards mutual understanding and trust. The vision in this case was supposed to be important while making important decisions regarding the learning institution. Alternatively, the vision was to show commitment of the school in attaining long-term objectives (Baccellieri, 2010). Therefore, the first step during the implementation process was to have a belief thus, how the school members were seeing the world, capabilities and skills that are conducive to the change. The principle of the school advocated for a person-centered type of approach especially towards the staff management. Alternatively, the development of the teachers became a priority. The second approach during the implementation process was building the relationships between the learners and the teachers. The focus in this case was the cognitive dimensions regarding the staff’s job (Buffum, 2009). The relationships were also built through recreational ways. Most of the activities done here were instrumental in building an effective atmosphere of trust among the members of the institution. After building the relationship between the members of the institution, the third principle during the implementation process was empowerment. In this case, the process entailed enabling the students, staff and the parents into participation and the contribution of emerging expertise for the benefit of the institution. In doing this, several circulating logistical information systems