Cognitive approach Essay

The cognitive approach focuses on the way information is processed by humans. It looks at how we as individuals treat information and how it leads to responses. Cognitive psychologists study internal processes such as attention, language, memory, thinking and perception. The main assumption of this approach is that in when information is received it is then processed by the brain and this processing directs how we as individuals behave or justify why we behave the way we do. With the cognitive approach it is hard to view its constructions, though, some say that it is an example of theoretical constructs. This means that we cannot directly see processes such as thinking but we can infer what a person is thinking based on simply the way they act. Cognitive psychologists mainly focus on internal mental processes such as memory. Attention is put on how individuals learn to solve problem and the mental processes that are present between stimulus and response. This approach has been influenced by developments in computer science, such that the ideas are very similar. It gets its idea from how a computer works and how we process information. Based on the computer analogy, cognitive psychology is interested in how the brain inputs, stores and outputs information. Loftus and Palmers (1974) study of an eyewitness testimony demonstrates how the cognitive process of a person’s memory can be misled by other information provided after an event. This highlights that memory is a dynamic process which can be influenced by many events such as leading questions. The study also shows that memory is a dynamic process and changes to make sense of certain experiences. When individuals behave in a certain way towards another individual, it is likely that we challenge to understand how the other is thinking and feeling. Baron-Cohen’s (1997) study of behaviour and how it can be influenced by a cognitive process identifies a ‘theory of mind ’. This theory enables an individual to acknowledge grow understanding and respect for the fact that people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from their own. His study challenges to demonstrate that the main inefficiency of autism is a failure to completely develop the cognitive process of a ‘theory of mind’. This approach is different from other approaches in different ways. One way is that it adopts the use of scientific and experimental methods to measure mental processes. Another  difference is that the approach is the supporter of importance of mental processes such as beliefs and desires in determining behaviour unlike the behaviourist approach. One strength of the cognitive approach is that it uses a scientific approach through the use of laboratory experiments. These experiments are beneficial as they are extremely high in control, thus enabling researchers to recognise the cause and effect. In terms of being able to control, when Loftus and Palmers conducted their study they were able to control the ages of the participants and the location of the experiment. Every participant was asked the same questions. Furthermore, experiments such as the one discussed is easy to test for reliability. However, many cognitive studies that are carried out in laboratory settings/environment ca n lack environmental validity. It may be difficult to generalise the results/findings to everyday life if the cognitive process such as memory and theory of mind are studied in artificial situations. A further asset of this approach is the useful contributions that have risen from this approach. Understanding cognitive process allows us to help improve the way in which people execute their cognitive process such as memory or language. The Baron-Choen’s study on behaviour and how it is influential enables us to understand the behaviour of people with mental conditions. Similarly, Loftus and Palmer’s study highlights the limitations of an eyewitness testimony. Though the approach has many strengths, it also has some weakness’, one being that the cognitive approach relates to the validity of measuring cognitive processes. The approach relies heavily on a self-report and observation, meaning, we can only gather/interpret what someone is thinking. http://www.revisionworld.com/a2-level-level-revision/psychology/themes-issues-and-debates/nature-nurture-debate/approaches-stance-nature-nurture http://www.simplypsychology.org/perspective.html Humanism Humanistic psychology is a perspective that highlights the study of a person as a whole, this is referred to as ‘holism’. Humanistic psychologists look at human behaviour not only through the eye of the observer but through the eyes of the person doing the behave. Humanistic psychologists believes that an individual’s behaviour is linked to their inner feelings and self-image. The approach centres on the view that each person is different and unique, and each individual has free will to change at any time in their lives. The perspective suggest that we as indivduals are responsible for our own happiness and well-being. As humans with have an inborn capaticy for self –actualization which is our desire to achieve our highest potential as people. The humanists regarded scientific methods as inappropriate for studying behaviour beacause of the focus on the person and their personal experiences and perception of the world. There are two very influential theorist s in humanistic psychology. These are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Psychodynamic perspective Who hasn’t heard of Sigmund Freud? So many expressions from our daily life come from Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis – subconscious, denial, repression and anal personality to name only a few. Freud believes that events in our childhood can have a significant impact on our behavior as adults. He also believed that people have little free will to make choices in life. Instead our behavior is determined by the unconscious mind and childhood experiences. Freud’s psychoanalysis is both a theory and a therapy. It is the original psychodynamic theory and inspired psychologists such as Jung and Erikson to develop their own psychodynamic theories. Freud’s work is vast and he has contributed greatly to psychology as a discipline. Freud, the founder of Psychoanalysis, explained the human mind as like an iceberg, with only a small amount of it being visible, that is our observable behavior, but it is the unconscious, submerged mind that has the most, underl ying influence on our behavior. Freud used three main methods of accessing the unconscious mind: free association, dream analysis and slips of the tongue. He believed that the unconscious mind consisted of three components: the ‘id’ the ‘ego’ and the ‘superego’. The ‘id’ contains  two main instincts: ‘Eros’, which is the life instinct, which involves self-preservation and sex which is fuelled by the ‘libido’ energy force. ‘Thanatos’ is the death instinct, whose energies, because they are less powerful than those of ‘Eros’ are channeled away from ourselves and into aggression towards others. The ‘id’ and the ‘superego’ are constantly in conflict with each other, and the ‘ego’ tries to resolve the discord. If this conflict is not resolved, we tend to use defense mechanisms to reduce our anxieties. Psychoanalysis attempts to help patients resolve their inner conflicts. An asp ect of psychoanalysis is Freud’s theory of psychosexual development. It shows how early experiences affect adult personality. Stimulation of different areas of the body is important as the child progresses through the important developmental stages. Too much or too little can have bad consequences later. The most important stage is the phallic stage where the focus of the libido is on the genitals. During this stage little boys experience the ‘Oedipus complex’, and little girls experience the ‘Electra complex’. These complexes result in children identifying with their same-sex parent, which enables them to learn sex-appropriate behavior and a morale code of conduct. However it has been criticized in the way that it over emphasizes of importance of sexuality and under emphasizes of role of social relationships. The theory is not scientific, and can’t be proved as it is circular. The sample was biased, consisting of middle-class, middle-aged neurotic women. Never the less psychoanalysis has been greatly contributory to psychology in that it has encouraged many modern theorists to modify it for the better, using its basic principles, but eliminating its major flaws. Perspectives Conclusion To conclude, there are many different perspectives to psychology in explaining different types of behaviour and give different judgments. The fact that there are many perspectives shows that human behave is in fact a very complex thing to analyse. A scientific approach, such as cognitive psychology or behaviourism, often tends to ignore the personal experiences that people have. Though, the humanistic perspective does in fact recognise human experience. The psychodynamic perspective concentrates  largely on the unconscious mind and childhood. The biological perspective reduces humans to a group of mechanisms and physical structures that are essential and very important, such as genes. However, the biological perspective fails to account for consciousness and influences of the environment and behaviour.

Hurdles Impeding Development of Pakistan Essay

Scarred from birth, Pakistan’s quest for survival has been as compelling as it has been uncertain. Pakistan cycled through a number of phases of development through its beginning Political, Social and Economic crises. The politicians were corrupt, interested in maintaining their political power and securing the interests of the elite, so to have them as the representative authority did not provide much hope of a democratic state that provided socio-economic justice and fair administration to all Pakistani citizens. Ranging controversies over the issue of the national language, the role of Islam, provincial representation, and the distribution of power between the center and the provinces delayed constitution making and postponed general elections, thus putting Pakistan into a certain situation of uncertainty right from the start. Poverty Poverty remains a serious concern in Pakistan. A large segment of the population lives in poverty. According to the rebased GDP numbers, the per capita income comes to US$720. Poverty rates, which had fallen substantially in the 1980s and early 1990s, started to rise again toward the end of the decade. More importantly, differences in income per capita across regions have persisted or widened. At the time of independence Pakistan suffered an unjust wealth distribution which marked its development or a long time. Pakistan has grown much more than other lowincome countries, but has failed to achieve social progress commensurate with its economic growth. The educated and well-off urban population lives not so differently from their counterparts in other countries of similar income range. However, the poor and rural inhabitants of Pakistan are being left behind. For example, access to sanitation in Pakistan in rural areas is 30% lower than in other countries with similar income. Solution & suggestions to this issue is †¢ Alternate means of energy production, like solar lights, neculer energy other minerals †¢ Small loans and small business (e. g Greaming bank in Bangladesh who give small loans start from a small village and now its owner got noble price for his ideas and polices in micro economics) †¢ More evelopment projects from government specially focus on their maintains & consistence. India – A constant threat Pakistan has also been burdened by full-scale wars with India, a strategically exposed northwestern frontier, and series of economic crises. It has difficulty allocating its scarce economic and natural resources in an equitable manner. All of Pakistan’s struggles underpin the dilemma they face in reconciling the goal of national integration with the imperatives of national security. Peace in this region of the world is sorely needed; but he process is easier said than done. Many obstacles internal and external continue to impede the progress of peace. Solution & suggestions to this issue is †¢ Encourage peace and peace talks with India †¢ Break the ideology of HINDU’S are like this and that (BANIYA etc ) Sad State of Judiciary Under the leadership of General Pervez Musharraf, the military has claimed its central position in Pakistan’s state structure and political scene. Similar to the present situation Judiciary has never been free to operate in Pakistan. The judiciary of Pakistan has abdicated their duty to protect the laws as well as the citizens of the country. The concept of a totally controlled judiciary was achieved by the rulers or ruling parties. Several judgments by the High Courts and Supreme Courts have shown how well the objective has been achieved. Even the Supreme courts are not independent. For example, Governor of Sindh, Mr. Isharat ul Ibad was behind the bars few days before he took the oath, all cases vaporized in air. The accountability cases against Nawaz Sharif and Benazir are also ridicule to the system. Culture Differences The ruins of ancient civilizations at Mohenjodaro and at Harappa in the southern Indus Valley testify to the existence of an advanced urban civilization that flourished in what is now Pakistan in the second half of the third millennium BC during the same period as the major riverain civilizations in Mesopotamia and Persia. This area has on the course of time seen almost every sort of government from democracy to monarchy, has been invaded a number of times, settled and resettle. Solution & suggestions to this issue is †¢ Should be according to local and domestic values, norms and practices Language Issues Despite the shared religion of its overwhelmingly Muslim population, Pakistan has been engaged in a precarious struggle to define a national identity and evolve a politico economic system for its linguistically diverse population. Pakistan is known to have over twenty languages and over 300 distinct dialects, Urdu and English are the official languages but Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu, Baluchi and Seraiki are considered main languages. This diversity has caused chronic regional tensions and successive failures in forming a constitution, laws and finally a mutually shared mode of living. Although Urdu was nominated as Pakistan’s National Language yet the number of people speaking URDU as a mother tongue was very low. This generated a huge gap between the common people of the country and its systems. It is an irony that a vast majority of Pakistan’s population can’t understand it own National Anthem, by viewing this, its easy to view the barriers which every person in Paksitan has faced in order to form a link with its systems and structures thus contributing little to the development. Solution & suggestions to this issue is †¢ Focus on regional language , should be taught at least till primary level Tribal and Provincial Issues The government’s perceived bias towards Punjab, the country’s most affluent province, has caused disgruntlement amongst the underdeveloped yet resource rich provinces. This bias has contributed to an escalating rebellion by tribal militias in Baluchistan. Militias have been engaged in guerrilla warfare with the Pakistani army, whose resources are already stretched between counter-terrorism activities and Kashmir. Tribal militias have been sabotaging strategic infrastructure, such as natural gas lines. Muslim extremism and sectarian violence are fundamental threats to Pakistan’s political stability. Sunni-Shi’a violence along with frequent anti-western street protests and violence are common, particularly in Karachi. Pakistani forces have also been largely unable to defeat Taliban militants who operate with impunity in the areas bordering Afghanistan. FATA is such a great example of military failure, an area with in the country but out of the reach from the countrymen even the military. The militants have such a strong hold that they can every handled on their own terms, they are well equipped as well as informed, as seen in latest events, it seems as if Bugti tribe was as equipped as the Army itself. Religion and Sectarian issues Pakistan’s political instability over time has been matched by a fierce ideological debate about the form of government it should adopt, Islamic or secular. In the absence of any nationally based political party, Pakistan has long had to rely on the civil service and the army to maintain the continuities of government. It was a daunting task to build a nationstate whose peoples had only one uniting factors—their abiding faith in Islam. Other than that, there was nothing to bind them together as a nation. Subsequent political developments in Pakistan clearly showed that even the â€Å"abiding faith in Islam was merely a mirage,† not a solid factor of integration and development as there is a list of sectarian Issues Pakistanis are suffering from. Geographical issues Following a military defeat at the hands of India the breakaway of its eastern territory, which India divides it from, caused the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971. This situation epitomizes the most dramatic manifestation of Pakistan’s dilemma as a decentralized nation. All forms of developments in Pakistan continue to be marred by provincial jealousies and, in particular, by the deep resentments in the smaller provinces of Sind, Baluchistan, and the North-West Frontier Province against what is seen to be a monopoly by the Punjabi majority of the benefits of power, profit, and patronage. Constitution Discrimination & Minorities Rights Pakistan is perhaps the most notorious political enigma in the second half of he 20th century. Perhaps, the most lamentable feature of our existence as a nation is that we do not know what we are. National identity is not primarily definable in terms of a people occupying a sovereign geographical territory. Existentially, identity is premised on ideology and social values. Both are noticeably in abeyance in Pakistan. This is a state without ideological ballast, without a lodestar. The people who are being called minorities, how we can expect loyalty from them after the treatment they are given? In history we see Hindus were under Muslim rule for so long yet the first chance they got they joined British, the reason was only that they had no loyalty to the state. If in Pakistan the minorities would keep receiving such treatment there is not much less hope of any loyalty to the state either. Human Rights Pakistan remains heavily dependent on the United States for economic and military aid. The U. S. has notably failed to press for human rights-related legal reform in the country, in exchange for Pakistan’s support in the U. S. led â€Å"war on terror. â€Å" For its part, the government of Pakistan has excused its failure to uphold human rights and the rule of law by citing domestic political pressure from hard-line religious groups and militant organizations. Pakistan’s record of ratifying principal international human rights treaties remains poor. To date, it is signatory to only five international conventions, and has signed neither the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights nor the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Anti-trust Law Case Study

Anti-trust Law Case Study Landmark: Antitrust Case Study Question 1: Write a 100- word abstract of the case, including the date of the case The essay gives a brief analysis and review of a case in which the government of the United States led to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the defense of the claim appeal 384 U.S. competition 270 presented by the U.S. government against VON Grocery Co. (Von) in 1966 in the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of California No. 303. Duration was March 22, 1966 and the delivery of a verdict was the May 31, 1966. It was in favor of the defendant. This just reminded demand, government regulators were ignoring situations that occur within its jurisdiction. It was despite his knowledge of the changing developments in market structures that controlled processes. Government regulators failed to switch to a relaxed mood compared to previous legislative procedures necessary reacted to the threats and opportunities of his time. As a result, this led to the p revention of unfair trade practices or disposal of similar economic activities of small-scale business. Key words: VON’S GROCERY CO, 384 U.S. 270, Shopping Bag Food Stores and 7 of the Clayton Act. Question 2: Describe the provision of the US Antirust Law invoked to judge the presence of anti-competitive behavior or potential of for moving the industry in that direction. The 1960 merger of Von Grocery Company with competitor Shopping Bag Food Stores (Shopping Bag) whose locations are in Los Angeles, California violated Section 7 of the Clayton Act (n. P Thomson Reuter). Its amendment in 1950 regulates the reasonable termination through the prohibition of mergers and acquisitions, which decreased competition. Even after a new amendment in 1980, remains the main reference point for antitrust law mergers that threatened the United States (Fox CR4, CR8 and HHI, specially in cases of mergers. The claim of the United States had other modifications as support for their arguments. They were the 1950 amendment to Section 7 of the Celler-Kefauver and Congress sought to preserve competition for small businesses. Was also intended to help companies focus. The court was the agent that was against large companies that use concentrations in markets with increasing centralization of business. He succeeded in divesting after United States v. Philadelphia National. . Bank, 374 U.S. 321 Celler-Kefauver 362 Anti-Merger Act 1950 as amended provides relevant information: â€Å"That no company engaged in commerce †¦ shall acquire all or part of the assets of another company also engaged in commerce, where in any line of commerce in any part of the country, the effect of such acquisition may be substantially to lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly. â€Å" Question 4: Describe the â€Å"conduct† in question that has been considered â€Å"anticompetitive:†Determine if the defendant had used an anticompetitive Price Strategy and explain how. Likewise, describe any Non-price Strategies the defendant had used and describe how.

( Create a topic based on source provided ) Essay

( Create a topic based on source provided ) - Essay Example Roosevelt become so famous for. The introduction is very telling of the way the President views the American populace and his overall reliance on their support to accomplish the goals he sets out. Obama’s speech begins, â€Å"Good evening. Tonight I want to talk to you about the debate we’ve been having in Washington over the national debt – a debate that directly affects the lives of all Americans† (Obama, 2011 p. 302). By reaching out to the people and speaking with them as equals as well as presenting to them the struggles and hardships that government faces, FDR was able to gain the buy-in of the populace and became one of the most beloved presidents in American history. President Obama follows the same approach in this speech. Additionally, in these first few lines, the President is both able to lay out the topic at hand and paint a very clear picture of the issue as it relates to each and every American on both sides of the political spectrum. Additi onally, by making use of the first person plural pronoun we throughout the speech, the President is further able to quietly show the combined and shared burden that each and every citizen has with relation to the actions that the government partakes. Another powerful technique that the speech employs is even though the topic at hand is deadly serious and has the potential to affect the future lives and welfare of Americans well into the next several decades, the President is slow to ascribe blame to either party. Says Obama, â€Å"Because neither party is blameless for the decisions that led to this problem, both parties have a responsibility to solve it† (Obama, 2011 p. 303). This powerful admission that he does not intend to ascribe blame gains the trust of the audience and commands their respect as the issue is further explained. One drawback that the speech has is that it does not provide anything resembling equal time to the two ways forward the

Level 5 leadership and Transformational Leadership in the Construction Literature review

Level 5 leadership and Transformational Leadership in the Construction industry of Project Management - Literature review Example Many organisations will root for outsourcing arrangements at first in overseas countries mainly to capitalise on cheap labour, reduced taxes, the possibility of hiring skilled employees in their own country, as well as, a 24 hour readily available workforce. Despite these obvious advantages, the recent trend of reshoring has perhaps stemmed from the corporate concerns on operational mishaps that have obviously precipitated a decline in both productivity and quality. According to a recent research conducted by Warwick Business School and GE Capital UK, a quarter of the mid-market firms are seriously considering re-shoring all or some of their business activities in the next three years. According to the research, the reasons for the trend in reshoring comprise of productivity, rise in the overseas costs, rising control or management issues or access to skilled labour. The research further reveals that, with the reshoring, companies are expected to witness a greater than average rise in revenues to the tune of 14.8 % leading to an overall 12.1 % uplift in the profits. In terms of the activities, which would be reshored, internal business services comprised of 23 percent, procurement and customer-facing services at 21% and 19% respectively. Other activities earmarked are product development, manufacturing and production. According to the study, which was conducted on 100 companies, reshoring will most likely create over 378 500 jobs and add  £27.6 billion to the national mid-market revenues annually. The research also found London to be the favourable re-shore destination. South-East follows closely and is then followed by West Midlands, North West, Yorkshire, and Humber (Green, 2014). Therefore, how does a company draw the conclusion on whether reshoring is right for its business activities? Well, time is an important and a changing factor in business. Consider Toyota as an example.

Jews of Spain relationship with Islamic and Arabic Culture Assignment - 1

Jews of Spain relationship with Islamic and Arabic Culture - Assignment Example Ladino was a romantic language that borrowed much from Judeo-Catalan, Hebrew, and Old Castilian. However, Jews in Spain currently uses Spanish as their language. The adoption of the Arabic culture by the Spanish Jewish started in the twelfth century when Almohades seized the southern parts of the Spain. He gave three choices to the Jews in Spain: death, flee or adopt the Arabic culture. Some of the Arabic cultural practices that Spanish Jews adopted include using of the last name. Jews were renowned of using their first name, their fathers’ name, or even their tribal name but with adoption of the Arabic culture, they were compelled to use the last name. The Spanish Jews adopted washing of legs and hands before entering the synagogue just as the Muslims do; they also adopted Arabic tunes for their sacred songs (Attig 832). In addition, the Arabic rule made the Spanish Jews to shift from their native languages such as Hebrews and Aramaic to Arabic language. The loss of the Jewish language led to extinction of the central literary works that was a characteristic of the Jewish culture. Examples of the Jewish literary works are poetry, Torah, Mishnah, liturgy, and Midrash (Corrà © 172). Moreover, the wide spread of the Arabic language resulted into Bible translation into Arabic. Consequently, Jews shifted from their traditional habit of being religious to secular. Furthermore, the Spanish Jews adopted the court system of settling disputes. Additionally, Jews of Spain accepted the Arabic traditions and customs including clothing in their daily routine (Corrà © 172). Jewish of Spain never lost hope of their culture, however, they took advantage of the Islamic rule to revive their culture by collaborating with them. The Spanish Jews struck an agreement with the Islamic rulers so that they could exercise their religion and culture. This agreement came at a cost because they had to a pay a special tax called jizya. Therefore, they enjoyed

Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Euthanasia - Essay Example In passive euthanasia, no action is taken to prolong life, and death occurs naturally. In Great Britain, Lord Joffe has introduced a bill which would legalize assisted dying. Although this bill was introduced in 2004, it has not had a chance of passing until recently. The reasons for this is that society has changed with respect to the issues surrounding euthanasia. This paper will examine the arguments against euthanasia, and the arguments in favor of it, and make a conclusion about whether or not euthanasia should be legalized in Great Britain. Arguments against Euthanasia There is not a doubt that Christianity, as a religion, has profoundly influenced the debate surrounding the right to die. However, before Christianity was established, the practice was condoned, even honored. In Ancient Greece, one could apply to a tribunal for the right to die, and, if successful, would be given hemlock to ingest. The practice was even the subject of parties – the elderly and the infirm would ingest their poison at a banquet that honored their lives . This changed with the beginning of Christianity, and Christianity, as a religion, was the basis of outlawing the practice. Early Christian thinkers, such as St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine were influential, describing euthanasia as a grave sin. The church continued to influence the debate, even during a period of time during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment of the 18th Century, in which the practices resurged, yet were kept in abeyance by the Church. 7 The Church’s reasoning on the rejection of euthanasia is that the act is inherently wrong. Therefore, because of the fundamental objection to the practice, the Church remains opposed, no matter how much good may come out of it.8   Christianity also believes that it is a sin because life is a gift from God, and, unless one is defending one’s own life, or defending others, life is not to be taken away.   According to this view, man is made in God’s image, so it is not for man to end his own life.9   This is not to say that the Church advocates for keeping someone alive by any means possible. In fact, the official Christian perspective on heroic measures to sustain life is that these measures should not be taken. Denying or withdrawing heroic measures is differentiated from euthanasia because one, euthanasia, is actively ending life and the other, denying heroic measures, is simply letting somebody die. Also, one is intended, and the other is unintended.10   Because the official Christian perspective on h eroic measures is clear, this principle would encompass â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate Orders† and removing patients from ventilators.11   Therefore, the official Christian stance on euthanasia is that it is forbidden. According to Lin (2003), another reason why the Church has taken this stance is because of the Sixth Commandment, which is â€Å"Thou Shalt Not Kill.†   This Commandment, in turn, is based on the view that only God has the power of life and death, and euthanasia effectively usurps this authority.12 St. Thomas Aquinas based his objections to the practice on this view, citing Deuteronomy 32:39, which states that God â€Å"will kill†¦and will make to live.†13 Hatzinikolaou (2003) bases his objections on the respect for the dying process. According to him, death is sacred and the last moments of a person’s life are the moments which should be respected.   It is during these moments, according to Hatzinikolaou (2003) that man has the chance to repent and prepare for his soul to be

Fossil Fuels Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fossil Fuels - Assignment Example The first practical use of natural gas was as early as 200 BCE by the Chinese made salt from brine and conveying the natural gas to evaporators through bamboo pipes (EIA, cited in ProCon.org, 2013). After the industrial revolution in 18th century, large scale use of fossil fuels has been reported (â€Å"Why did fossil fuels become so popular†, 2014). Petroleum products are being used as fuel to power transportation such as ships, automobiles and airplanes. Coal is used for electricity generation. The widespread use of fossil fuels harms the environment as these are a major cause of global warming, they cause acid rain, they will end up some day because they are non-renewable, their extraction damages the landscape and they affect the economy due to increase and decrease in their prices (Shepherd, 2002). If we do not start finding and using alternative sources of energy, we will not only end up severely polluting our environment but will also end up with no more fossil fuel reserves left. Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and the geological processes that resulted in their creation took millions of years, meaning that if we run out of them, we will need millions of years to get them back, that too if the environmental conditions are right (Shepherd, 2002). While fossil fuels are being depleted, there is a need to develop alternative sources of energy. Alternative sources of energy such as nuclear power, solar power, wind power, hydro power and geothermal energy are renewable sources. This implies that they are so abundant on earth that they cannot be depleted. These sources of energy do not pollute the environment and thus are better alternatives to fossil fuels (â€Å"Energy Story†, 2012). Nuclear energy makes is the energy derived from atoms. It is based on nuclear fission and fusion reactions. Nuclear power plants are being constructed worldwide and these use uranium as fuel. A very large amount

Analysis of the movie Seven Years in Tibet Essay

Analysis of the movie Seven Years in Tibet - Essay Example We see a cold, harsh man at the beginning of the film –a man who doesn’t want the son he and his wife are expecting and goes off to conquer a mountain in the Himalayas– turned into a human being, someone we can respect and trust, even as the Dalai Lama shows him respect and trust, considering him to be not only worthy of looking up to in some ways, but also to be a friend. The transformation comes about through a series events, the most important of which is the contact with the people and culture of Lhasa, where Heinrich and his friend Peter -after having endured hardships like being in a P.O.W. camp, traveling on foot for hundreds of miles in severe weather conditions, injuries and frostbite- are accepted into the home of a high government official. The draw of the Tibetan culture and the Holy City is so strong that Heinrich and Peter decide to stay there, and Peter even ends up marrying the town seamstress or â€Å"tailor,† as she so unequivocally points out, after both men compete for her affections and Peter ends up winning. They come to refer to the city as Paradise, and indeed after the invasion of the Chinese under the command of Mao Tse Tung, one has a definite feeling of Paradise lost. The remoteness and mystery of the city are a key part of the movie, and appear to be part of the director’s intention of showing Tibet as an almost otherworldly place with a moral fiber that most people can only hope to aspire to, a place of true holiness, and not just a rigidity based on routines and rituals with no real substance to it.

Weekly Discussionborad6 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly Discussionborad6 - Assignment Example It is however evident that the elders avoided talking on matters of sexuality. This was mostly because they did not want the teenagers to ask questions that dwelled further into the matter (Kara 7). This however has consequences because the children seek to explore on their own hence face consequences at the end. The director brings this out by showing how Moritz is disturbed by the dream he has been having at night (Kara 8). For the teenagers to understand what they are facing, Melchior is in the play to make things easier for them. He is very knowledgeable from the books he has read and therefore tells them about the puberty changes they are experiencing. Martha who faces sexual abuses from her father decides to tell her friends about her ordeal. She however tells them not to tell anyone because even her mother cares less about her. This shows the position of the female gender in the society, they girl child is neglected and the father does as he pleases. Wendla then seeks to find out what her friend goes through when her father abuses her. In one instance where she meets Melchior, her costumes look very appealing and after talking about the time when they kissed, they end up having sex. This makes her get pregnant and all relates to her ignorance. This is because her mother lied to her about where children came from. Her mother then tells her to have an abortion and she dies in the process (Kara 8).This shows that it was against the customs for young girls to get pregnant and her mother was afraid of what people will say. The general setting made me have a personal touch with the play because it looked so real. The background of the theater had black backdrops that seem to illustrate the sad happenings in the society. Such ordeals are like the death of Wendla as well as Moritz. Wendla dies due to abortion whereas Moritz shoots himself (Veit). The songs that they sung as the play unfolded related closely to what was

Conflicts Are Important Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Conflicts Are Important Worksheet Essay Part 1: The Five Conflict Types Describe each of the five conflict types using paragraph form. Conflict is important, and it is also important to recognize the different types of conflicts that you may be involved with. By knowing this, you can recognize the state of mind you’re in and if possible avoid it. Pseudo conflicts are one of the five different types. These are not real conflicts; they are only perceived as conflicts. Pseudo conflicts can result from two causes: faulty assumptions and false dilemmas. Mistaking assumptions for facts may explain many pseudo conflicts. Pseudo conflicts that result from false dilemmas occur when the parties involved see only two choices as solutions to the problem. Another is Fact conflicts; this kind of conflicts happen when individuals disagree about information that could easily be verified whether by statics or some other resource. Ego conflicts occur when a dispute centers on status or power; this reminds of two of my cousins when they let their egos get in the way of them winning their athletic competitions. Even though it was obvious that Angel was more of an athletic guy than Joe, he always felt like he had something to prove. Instead of them continuing to be on the same time for these competitions, Joe felt as though he had to show Angel that he was able to do everything better than him as well as get the most girls phone numbers. This kind of ego conflict they had affected their ability to continue to work together. Value conflicts focus on personal beliefs that you hold near and dear and is one that is very important to me, because at a previous job another assistant manager decided that he wasn’t going to ask all the employees their availability on the weekends. He felt that it was okay for him to ask just the ones he had better communication with. I took that very personal because I believe that all of us should be treated equally no matter the title, status, who or what  we know that conversation got quite heated, and the district manager got involved. The last type of conflict is called Need conflicts this usually occurs when the needs of one individual are at odds with the needs of another; For example: when you need a tool to finish a job, and so does your co-worker, when you need time to complete a project for work, but your spouse needs you at that very moment, or when you need to schedule a meeting at two o’clock and your team member can’t be there until three, you have a conflict of needs. Sometimes need conflicts are easily resolved by redefining or restating the needs in a way that allows a mutual satisfying solution. Part 2: The Five Conflict Management Styles Describe each of the five conflict management styles and explain the strengths and weaknesses of each. Use paragraph form. There are five different conflict management styles. Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. These styles are called avoiders, accommodators, forcers, compromisers and collaborators. Avoiders steer clear of conflict for a variety of reasons. If you are an avoider, you may lack the time, energy, confidence, or skills to engage in conflict. Avoiders try to stay away from conflict by leaving the situation, changing the subject, or simply agreeing to disagree without discussing the issues that precipitated the conflict. Although constant use of avoidance is not recommended, you may choose this style as a means of buying time in order to think through the problem, as a way of temporarily defusing strong emotions, or as a means of limiting your involvement in a conflict that does not seem worth the time or effort required to resolve it. On the other hand, avoidance may keep you from seeking a long-term solution to the conflict. Accommodators allow others to determine the outcome of the conflict. You will â€Å"give in† to keep the peace. Accommodators value smooth relationships and don’t want to make waves or cause trouble for anyone. Accommodation may be most appropriate when the issue in conflict is not that important to you or when it is easy to make concessions to others. Repeated attempts to accommodate others, however, may result in resentment and failure to get  your own needs met. Forcers expect to get their needs met regardless of the costs. For the forcer, winning may provide a sense of accomplishment. In conflicts, you may put your needs first and sometimes with little or no regard for the needs of others. This is a weakness when having to deal with a group of people. Not being empathetic to others causes relations to fail. They frequently are more interested in implementing their solution to a problem rather than listening to the opinions, needs, and feelings of others. Forcers are often impatient with others who do not see things their way. Although forcing can lower morale, jeopardize relationships, and stifle creativity, in some situations, you might find this approach to be appropriate. Compromisers think that those involved in the conflict must each be prepared to give up something in order to reach a solution. Choosing the role of compromiser, you expect to settle for less than what would meet your needs. Compromisers usually employ maneuvering, negotiating, and trading in an attempt to find a solution. However, unmet needs may still remain, and for those involved, the commitment to the solution will be only lukewarm at best. Sometimes, however, you may choose to compromise because the compromise represents a solution both you and the other party can â€Å"live with.† This latter result is particularly acceptable when the nature of the disagreement isn’t of vital importance to you or the other party. Lastly Collaborators believe that both parties can and will get their needs met. The underlying belief of collaborators is that if you understand one another’s needs, you will be able to find a way to meet both parties’ needs. The question is not whose needs will be met, but rather how you will meet the needs of both parties. This style has the advantages of promoting collaboration, creativity, and commitment. However, collaborating can seem unattainable to you when the needs of those involved are not clearly stated or understood. In addition, you will discover that collaboration takes time, and willingness of both parties to work together, and the belief that there is a mutual satisfying solution. Part 3: Collaborative Communication List two methods of collaborative communication and describe how using them can help you avoid conflicts. †¢ Believe both parties can meet their needs can help in avoiding conflicts. It is simply put that if I feel you can and you feel that I can and we both truly believe in each other, then there would be no conflict. In order for me to believe in anything, I will need some kind of proof first. By both parties believing in the other, they must have proven themselves once before. †¢ Wanting to hear the needs of the other is another method that can help avoid conflicts. We all think that what we say is correct so in most cases there is no need to hear the other. And when the other does try to intervene, a conflict occurs. If we take the time out to actually hear someone else without interruption, we may find out that their needs or opinions make lots of senses.

Research on Sebastian Faulks Essay Example for Free

Research on Sebastian Faulks Essay Sebastian Faulks was born in Donnington, a village near Newbury in Berkshire on April 20, 1953. He was the younger son of Peter Faulks (1917-1998) and Pamela, nee Lawless (1923-2003). Peter Faulks was a partner in the local law firm Pitman and Bazett. He had interrupted his legal training in 1939 to enlist with the Duke of Wellington’s, a Yorkshire-based infantry regiment. He fought in Holland, France, North Africa, Italy, Palestine and Syria. He was awarded the Military Cross in Tunisia. He was wounded in North Africa and again when his company was in slit trenches at Anzio. He received further wounds when the Germans bombed the beachhead hospital while he was waiting to be evacuated. He made a full recovery and lived an active life, later sitting as a judge in London and Reading. I had a very happy childhood,’ said Faulks. ‘My parents were kind, humorous and affectionate. My brother Edward was a great companion. We only ever met one of our four grandparents. Two of them were dead and my mother was estranged from her own mother. There was a sense that everything was beginning again – a fresh start after the War. Faulks worked as a feature writer for the Sunday Telegraph from 1983 to 1986, when he went to join the Independent as Literary Editor. Faulks married Veronica (nee Youlten) in 1989. They have two sons, William and Arthur, born 1990 and 1996 respectively, and one daughter, Holly, born 1992. Faulks is a fan of West Ham United football club Set during the Second World War, Charlotte Gray was the last of Faulks’s French trilogy, following The Girl at the Lion d’Or and Birdsong. It is the most inward-looking of the three books, dealing with themes of memory and loss. The main character’s search for her missing lover in occupied France is set against an uncompromising portrayal of French political life under the German occupation, including French co-operation in the deportation of Jews to Auschwitz. Despite its harrowing subject matter, it has proved one of Faulks’s most popular novels, remains his best seller in hardback and has sold more than a million copies overall in the United Kingdom. Charlotte Gray was also made into a movie in 2001Â · Charlotte Gray was filmed by Ecosse Films, directed by Gillian Armstrong in 2001 from a screenplay by Jeremy Brock. Although the film was thought to have ducked the challenges of the book and fared disappointingly at the box office, it had a strong performance by Cate Blanchett as Charlotte, with notable support from Billy Crudup as Julien and Helen McCrory as a local French courier. ‘Only one line of mine made it into the film,’ said Faulks in 2001. ‘Something about sanitary towels, I’m afraid. The film-makers struggled to find a visual corollary of Charlotte’s inner life, but Cate Blanchett was very good.

Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl | Analysis

Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl | Analysis Linda faces sexual harassment for the father of her mistress Dr. Flint. He is a licentious and cruel male, like several slaveholders, tries to make Linda his concubine, and subjects her to many years of sexual harassment. Linda describes the anger and shock she felt through his sadistic attacks on her individual autonomy. According to Jacobs (18), Linda narrates that when Flint told her that she was made for his use, meant to obey all his commands, that she was nothing but a slave, whose will should and must surrender to his. Flint murmured impure things in Lindas ears, wrote impure letters but she pretended that she could not hear or she could not read. She shuns his advances by usually being in presence of others and she displays an incredible power over and opposition of Flints will. The wife of Dr. Flint is brutal and callous woman who constantly enjoys the despair of the slaves. Other than confronting her spouse as a result of his lecherous deeds, she displays her respect to male power and blames Linda as the cause of her spouses lust. Because she does not have much power to handle the issue, Mrs. Flint jealously and hatred to Linda enlarges and she turns out to be obsessed with trailing her every step. Linda elucidates that a thing that commands approbation in the white female only speeds up the deprivation of the woman slave (Jacobs, 28). Dr. Flint who is Lindas master and enemy has legal rights to do anything he feels like to Linda, but desires to seduce her through threatening and tricking her other than taping her. All through the novel, Linda consistently goes against him and disobeys to have a sexual affair with him. This infuriates Dr. Flint and he quickly fixates over the thought of contravening her unruly spirit. Flint never distinguishes that Linda is a human being who has feelings, unamenable rights and desires. Cruelty of slaveholders According to Jacobs, (270, Linda claims sympathy for women slaves for there is no law to defend her form violence, from insult, and even from death., which are all imposed by friends who possess the shape of men Instead, the slavery institution defends slaveholders form allegations of sexual violence and assault. If the slave was sexually assaulted, it wasnt an offense against her but an intrude on the property of her master, although it was always a master that attacked her. When her daughter was born, the heart of Linda became heavy since she was aware that slaverly was terrible for males, but was far much terrible for females (Linda, 77). Women slaves were the most susceptible servants because they could do work in the field, take care of children of their masters, and most significantly reproduce slave populace, which became increasingly more significant after prohibition of slave imports in 1808.s For instance, when Benjamin, L indas uncle is sold, the slave trader stated that he could offer any price if the good looking young man was a female (Jacobs, 23). Lindas moral character Linda illustrates her strong moral trait in several ways. At an early and pre teen age, she was given similar things that children of the mistress were given. Her master taught her how to spell and read, which a privilege is since majority of slaves were not taught. Although she saw this as a fair thing, she still helped her family members because of their kindness toward her and she was also conscious that people needed to be treated with respect. Jacobs (65) argues that when Dr. Flint constantly called her harsh names and abused her, Linda she knew that it was not correct and felt that Flint was corrupting her as well as her pure mind, but she chose to remain silent for terror of her severe outcomes, even death. Linda continues leading her life, helping him together with his family, but knowing well that he was cruel and unjust. Arrogance of slaveholders It was extremely egotistical of slaveholders to tell the slaves brutal lies about the North. A slaveholder once told Linda one of the slaves who happened to be Lindas friend was in an awful shape and was pleading to be taken back to her master. Later on Linda discovered that this story was not true and this former slave did not have any wish of going back to slavery. Unfortunately, majority of slaves believes these stories and chose to the thought of protective slavery to hard freedom. Linda is appalled by the idea of really aspiring to return to slavery, even if the tales were true. Linda states that the slaves would start to recognize their personal capabilities, and wield themselves to be women and men (Garfield Zafar, 43). Conclusion The dominant social issue of the book incidences in the Life of a slave girl is sexual harassment of slaves by their masters. Dr. Flint who is Lindas master requires her to do anything for him including a sexual relationship with her. However, Linda does not give in to his sexual demands because she wants to buy her freedom away from enslavement. What is the Concept of Nationalism? What is the Concept of Nationalism? Nationalism is a concept that is not easily defined. There are numerous definitions and forms of what is nationalism, and many of these definitions even overlap. However, there is no one definition that is more adequate than another. Keeping in mind that these definitions are constantly evolving, with thorough analysis and the juxtaposition of arguments set out by eight prominent scholars, a clearer definition of nationalism can be attained. To begin with, the most well know definition today is from Professor Anthony Smith. He states that nationalism is simply an ideological movement for attaining and maintaining autonomy, unity and identity for a population which some of its members deem to constitute an actual or potential nation (Anthony Smith, Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History, 2001, p.9). In this definition, Smith reveals what he believes the three main goals of nationalism are: autonomy, national unity, and national identity. Even Smiths profound definition has not been available for very long considering he was born in 1933. Although there is much argument on the definition of nationalism, Smith agrees that there is one main point of agreement and that is that the term nationalism is a modern phenomenon (Smith, Anthony 2001). Civic nationalism is basically defined as a group of people which have a certain loyalty to civic rights or laws and pledge to abide by these laws. Ethnic nationalism is basically a grou p that possess a common culture, language, land, etc. It is more specific in terms of who can be in it (McGregor 2010). Smith (1991) writes that every nationalism contains civic and ethnic elements in varying degrees and different forms. Sometimes civic and territorial elements predominate; at other times it is the ethnic and vernacular components that are emphasized (Smith, Anthony 2001). Smiths most important argument features civic and ethnic types of nationalism as opposed to eastern and western types. . Even more specifically, Smith makes the distinction between both civic and ethnic nationalisms. He also believes that Many modern nations are formed around pre-existing, and often pre-modern, ethnic cores (Theories of Nationalism Smith). Smith is claiming that nations had pre-existing-origins prior to their new origins of their new nation. One of the most popular arguments by critics is that the civic and ethnic viewpoint of nationalism collapses too much on the ethnic category. (http://cps.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/35/5/554). Smiths definition seems to be the foundation for nationalism. Other scholars go in to more detail on certain elements of the definition, but most relate back to Smiths original definition. On the contrary to Anthony Smiths definition of nationalism pertaining to the civic and ethnic type, Hans Kohn has argued that the two main types of nationalism are eastern and western. His definition is, Nationalism is a state of mind, in which the supreme loyalty of the individual is felt to be due to the nation-state. (Hans Kohn, Nationalism, 1965) His argument includes both eastern and western types of nationalism which refer to eastern and western Europe. Eastern nationalism conceived the nation as an organic community, united by culture, language and descent (McGregor 2010). This could possibly be related to Smiths ethnic type of nationalism. Western nationalism conceived the nation as a political and civic community, held together by voluntary adherence to democratic norms (McGregor 2010). Again, western nationalism could be perceived as a civic type of nationalism. This can be recognized as two similar classifications on two unfamiliar grounds. Kohn believes that nationalism relates directly with the eastern and western Europe and that it is also where the state of mind of nationalism originated. The main criticism of Kohns classification of nationalism is him being over simplistic. He certainly does not go into as much detail as Smith on the definition and relates only towards Europe which most likely is why he is being identified as over simplistic. Carlton J. H. Hayes definition of nationalism states, Loyalty and attachment to the interior of the group (namely the nation and homeland) are the basis of nationalism. In this definition, a common cultural background and common cultural group are considered the main factors in forming a nation. That remains true with most of the definitions of nationalism. Hayes definition of nationalism seems to be more specific to the ethnic ties toward nationalism. (http://www.al-islam.org/islamandnationalism/5.htm). Hayes is basically saying that land, language, and blood are the basis of nationalism. . He is saying that nation is something to be proud of. Hayes also believe that these ethnic qualities are the most important; even religion does not compare.   It is attachment to nationality that gives direction to ones individual and social postures, not attachment to religion and ideology. A human being takes pride in his national achievements and feels dependent on its cultural heritage, not on the history of religion and his faith (http://www.al-islam.org/islamandnationalism/5.htm). This quote further proves Hayes view on nationalism and how it relates to ones culture and past, and specifically not related to religion at all. The reason Hayes definition is unique from others, is his emphasis that religion is not a factor in forming a nation. To further specify Hayes definition on nationalism he says, What distinguishes one human being from another are not their beliefs, but their birth-place, homeland, language and race. Those who are within the four walls of the homeland and nation, belong to it, and those who are outside it, are aliens. It is on the basis of these factors that the people have a feeling of sharing a single destiny and a common past. (http://www.al-islam.org/islamandnationalism/5.htm). This quote goes hand in hand with Hayess definition of nationalism and just further explains it. According to scholar Benedict Anderson nationalism is, a new emerging nation imagines itself to be antique. This is similar to how Anthony Smith and Hayes defined nationalism. It is mostly like the Smiths ethnic nationalism, which focuses more on the origin of the nation. Anderson focuses more on modern Nationalism and suggests that it forms its attachment through language, especially through literature. Of particular importance to Andersons theory is his stress on the role of printed literature. In Andersons mind, the development of nationalism is linked with printed literature and the growth of these printed works. People were able to read about nationalism in a common dialect and that caused nationalism to mature. (CITE). Andersons definition of nationalism and nation differ greatly from other scholars. He defines nation as an imagined political community. He believes this because the nation is always conceived as a deep, horizontal comradeship. Ultimately it is this fraternity th at makes it possible, over the past two centuries, for so many millions of people, not so much to kill, as willingly to die for such limited imaginings. Not only is Andersons theory distinctive because of the printed literature theory, but also the imagined political community. Peter Alter states, Nationalism is a political force which has been more important in shaping the history of Europe and the world over the last two centuries than the ideas of freedom and parliamentary democracy or, let alone, of communism. His argument is similar to John Breuilly in the sense that there is a strong emphasis on nationalism being a political force. Alter is saying that it has everything to do with being a political movement instead of the idea of freedom. In reference to nationalism, Alter states, It can be associated with forces striving for political, social, economic and cultural emancipation, as well as with those whose goal oppression. His outlook on nationalism seems much broader than other scholars. This particular reference virtually sums up many scholars definitions together. Alter does not seem to have a specific argument on nationalism, as in civic vs. ethnic or western vs. eastern but just an acceptance that nationalism could be based on all of these argum ents. Again, Alter says, It can mean emancipation, and it can mean oppressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ dangers as well as opportunities. There is no precise argument when he tries to define nationalism even though he does have the idea that nationalism is directly related to a political force. Alter also states that nationalism was important to shaping Europe, but most scholars agree with that statement to begin with. Scholar Ernest Gellner states that, nationalism is primarily a political principle that holds that the political and the national unit should be congruent. Gellner has been considered the father of nationalism studies and was a teacher of Anthony Smith. Although most scholars would agree that nationalism appeared after the French Revolution, Gellner further argues that nationalism became a sociological necessity in the modern world. His argument is similar to the uniqueness of Benedict Andersons printed literature theory, but Gellner focuses more on the industrialization of work and cultural modernization to explain how nationalism expanded. Gellner believes that states only exist where there is division of labour, therefore the state comes before nationalism (http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~plam/irnotes07/Gellner1983.pdf). Like other scholars, Gellner believes that nationalism is a political force. There are many criticisms to Ernest Gellners theory, including Anthony Smith sayin g, It misreads the relationship between nationalism and industrialization (Smith 1998). Historian John Breuilly defends a more modern theory of nationalism. He concludes, The rise of the modern state system provides the institutional context within which an ideology of nationalism is necessary. Breuilly argues that the process of state modernization provides an important factor in understanding historical signs of nationalism (http://www.cjsonline.ca/reviews/nationalism.html). Breuilly argues that nationalism does not have much to do with ethnicity or ethnic background, rather more to do with political motivation. This is not the first scholar who believed that ethnic background had nothing to do with nationalism. In fact, Breuillys definition relates well to Gellner in the sense that they both argue for political motivation. Nationalists are seen to create their own ideology out of their own subjective sense of national culture. (John Breuilly, Nationalism and the State (Manchester University Press, Manchester, 1982). This particular quote is quite similar to Andersons imagined political community theory. Breuilly does not support the ethnic side of nationalism nearly as much as others and, like Benedict Anderson favors nationalism as just a political force. Breuilly criticizes most scholars due to the fact that they believe in national culture because he believes there is no such thing. He believes that the political component of nationalism is by far the most important. Michael Hechter defines nationalism as a, collective action designed to render the boundaries of the nation congruent with those of its governance unit (M. Hechter, Containing Nationalism, 2000). He further explains, Nation and governance can be made congruent by enacting exclusive policies that limit full membership in the polity to individuals from on one more favoured nations. In Hechters book, Containing Nationalism, he expresses his belief that the reason nationalism occurs is because of self-determination. Hechter explains how there are two different types of nationalism. The first one is sort of the ideology of freedom and he gives the example of the French Revolution. The second form is xenophobic or even goes as far as genocide (Hechter, Containing Nationalism, 2000). This explains where the different views of nationalism come in; civic vs. ethnic or eastern vs. western. Most importantly, Hechter defines many specific forms of nationalism to go beyond his original definition . These definitions include: state-building nationalism, peripheral nationalism, irredentist nationalism, and unification nationalism. (Hechter, Michael. Containing Nationalism. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2000). Each scholars definition seems to have its own uniqueness to it; from Anthony Smiths ethnic nationalism. SIMILARTIES AND DIFFERENCES Political, cultural, ethnic, civic, eastern, western Summary Vast diversity of aims and aspirations, including unification, separation, cultural/linguistic preservation, territorial expansion, protection of external co-nationals, overthrow of foreign domination, establishment of national homeland Vast diversity of forms and styles, from aggressive and militaristic to peaceable and inward-looking Nationalism is inherently particularistic, but at the same time constitutes an ideology of general application People can not agree on the definitionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.

Hydroelectric Energy :: essays research papers

Hydroelectric energy potentially is the result of a fortunate coincidence in which nature and the need to modernize, are combined together in an on- going cycle. The cycle being evaporated, precipitation and concentration. Having water, though, does not necessarily mean having hydroelectric potential. To be in usable form, that water must be in continuous supply, accessible and concentrated in rivers with a volume flows and a descent rate, sufficient to drive generating turbines. The only way that this system would become non-renewable would logically be if the lakes, rivers and streams dried up, therefore the resource of water becoming unavailable. The likeliness of this happening in our lifetime is next to nothing, especially in Ontario and Quebec. These areas have and abundance of lakes and down-falling rivers. Availability The availability of water in this area of the world is great. Being able to have water flowing on a downward slope is another story. It is useless if it is not flowing. The steeper the water flows, the more electricity it will produce. Hydroelectric plants can be turned into what are called peaking units in areas where power plants and high populations exist. That is because electricity demand in an area can vary widely over a period of time, sources that can easily be turned on or off are needed to meet demand peeks. Environmental Concerns Large dame change a self-regulating ecological system into one that must be managed. Placed on a river without thought to their upstream and downstream impacts they can bring disaster. Because lakes cannot survive some of the abuses that rivers can, traditional farming and waste disposal practices must be changed. The dams themselves can be threatened by the silting of reservoirs caused by soil erosion, which may destroy a dams ability to store water and generate energy. Dams can endanger little known plant and animal species. Many tropical plants or animals with potentially high economic value will be lost forever if dam reservoirs are built, because so many tropical species have be yet to be named. Even where threatened species have been indented, pressure to destroy their habitats can be irresistible. Where fish species migrate long distances to breed, dams can decrease their stocks. The Columbia river salmon fisheries in North America declined sharply after dams were built there, despite programs to build fish ladders and restock the river. How much is there? In different areas of the world, water can range to an abundance of it, to none at all. With the hydrologic cycle there will always be the same amount of water on Earth. It will just be distributed differently throughout the biosphere. Hydroelectricity can not be created unless there id Hydroelectric Energy :: essays research papers Hydroelectric energy potentially is the result of a fortunate coincidence in which nature and the need to modernize, are combined together in an on- going cycle. The cycle being evaporated, precipitation and concentration. Having water, though, does not necessarily mean having hydroelectric potential. To be in usable form, that water must be in continuous supply, accessible and concentrated in rivers with a volume flows and a descent rate, sufficient to drive generating turbines. The only way that this system would become non-renewable would logically be if the lakes, rivers and streams dried up, therefore the resource of water becoming unavailable. The likeliness of this happening in our lifetime is next to nothing, especially in Ontario and Quebec. These areas have and abundance of lakes and down-falling rivers. Availability The availability of water in this area of the world is great. Being able to have water flowing on a downward slope is another story. It is useless if it is not flowing. The steeper the water flows, the more electricity it will produce. Hydroelectric plants can be turned into what are called peaking units in areas where power plants and high populations exist. That is because electricity demand in an area can vary widely over a period of time, sources that can easily be turned on or off are needed to meet demand peeks. Environmental Concerns Large dame change a self-regulating ecological system into one that must be managed. Placed on a river without thought to their upstream and downstream impacts they can bring disaster. Because lakes cannot survive some of the abuses that rivers can, traditional farming and waste disposal practices must be changed. The dams themselves can be threatened by the silting of reservoirs caused by soil erosion, which may destroy a dams ability to store water and generate energy. Dams can endanger little known plant and animal species. Many tropical plants or animals with potentially high economic value will be lost forever if dam reservoirs are built, because so many tropical species have be yet to be named. Even where threatened species have been indented, pressure to destroy their habitats can be irresistible. Where fish species migrate long distances to breed, dams can decrease their stocks. The Columbia river salmon fisheries in North America declined sharply after dams were built there, despite programs to build fish ladders and restock the river. How much is there? In different areas of the world, water can range to an abundance of it, to none at all. With the hydrologic cycle there will always be the same amount of water on Earth. It will just be distributed differently throughout the biosphere. Hydroelectricity can not be created unless there id

Problems of Art, Problems of Education :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Problems of Art, Problems of Education ABSTRACT: Some main postmodern ideas, such as the decay of totality or the dispersion of the subject, are too risky to introduce into the education of youth. However, there are some postmodern ideas — though not central ones — that could prove helpful in contemporary education. The hero of this paper is the prefix "inter-" which (especially in the French philosophers' writings) took a new and remarkable meaning by becoming one of the main metaphors of the human condition in the world of culture. The meaning of the prefix "inter-" can be successfully taught by art, for works of art have always exemplified means of oscillating in the sphere of the "inter-" between the concrete and abstraction, detail and generality, freedom and rules, spontaneity and discipline, between Rorty's conception of the "ironist" and the "strong poet." "...the significance of art inevitably declines and nothing in the current circumstances of civilisation and culture shows that this process would be stopped." S. Morawski, On the Sense of the Newest Creativity "The crisis of education in its cultural dimension affects all of us. For we all were or will be connected with education, as pupils and students, parents and teachers. We all stand face to face with the question of its future when the problem how to grow into a human being in the surrounding world remains unsolved" K. Blusz, Education and Liberation 1. The crisis character of our Euro-American culture is so generally noticed that it needs no proofs. Among many different domains of human activity both the contemporary art and the theory of art are found in a hard situation; the marks of this plight are the more and more intensive questions about the end of art, anti-art, post-art on the one hand and about the post-aesthetics, anti-aesthetics and an-aesthtics on the other. In the theory of education we can find the same terminological symptoms which (like a rash) testify the same kind of impotence and illness — also here the discussion about the end of pedagogy in the contemporary culture goes (Ricardo Massa) and the predictions of the birth of the new post-pedagogical epoch are made (Hubertus von Schoenbeck). Shoud we, in such situation, following the past patterns like, for example, very valuable conception "education through art" (Herbert Read, Irena Wojnar), ask about the role of the post-art in the post-pedagogy? This way seems to be not especially fruitful.

O Lazer :: ensaios

Este ensaio trata dos conceitos de lazer, que à © um dos requisitos que integram a existà ªncia dos seres humanos. É por meio dele que os indivà ­duos encontram o prazer, o bem-estar, a sensaà §Ãƒ £o de liberdade e muitos benefà ­cios para a saà ºde fà ­sica e mental. Breve histà ³rico sobre o lazer As civilizaà §Ãƒ µes antigas jà ¡ utilizavam um conceito rudimentar de lazer como atividade de descanso e distraà §Ãƒ £o. Roma, Grà ©cia, Antigo Egito, iniciaram tradià §Ãƒ µes que sobreviveram aos sà ©culos e atà © hoje integram o rol de eventos e mecanismos de lazer. Em Roma, os jogos, no campo e na cidade, alà ©m de serviam a propà ³sitos religiosos, de acordo com a à ©poca do ano e o deus a quem homenageavam, tambà ©m constituà ­am lazer. Em qualquer dos casos, os dias sequenciais de jogos, exibià §Ãƒ £o de danà §as lascivas, muito vinho, desordem e mà ºsica eram atividades de lazer. As termas e banhos, o teatro, os encontros no Forum – local basicamente composto de comà ©rcio, prà ©dios administrativos e praà §a pà ºblica – eram outras formas de obtenà §Ãƒ £o de descanso e prazer. Em Roma e na Grà ©cia antigas o teatro tambà ©m surgiu como forma de homenagem aos deuses e lazer, na primeira com as comà ©dias e pantomimas e na segunda com as tragà ©dias. Na Grà ©cia, os jogos apareceram entre os soldados e os jovens com o propà ³sito de manterem a forma e, mais tarde, foram transformados no Festival Olà ­mpico, que acontecia de quatro em quatro anos, com finalidades religiosas e de agregar as 160 cidades-estados, uma vez que a Grà ©cia nà £o tinha uma unidade polà ­tica. Os jogos eram realizados na cidade-estado de Olà ­mpia, que recebia â€Å"turistas† de toda a Grà ©cia. Os gregos nà £o tinham tempos de lazer, e os festivais religiosos, incluindo o Festival Olà ­mpico, era visto, tambà ©m, com esse fim. No Antigo Egito, a diversà £o era separada por classes e idade. Para os nobres, principalmente os jovens, a pesca e a caà §a no rio Nilo e a caà §a no deserto eram garantia de diversà £o. Ainda havia a luta e a nataà §Ãƒ £o, esportes populares apreciados pela populaà §Ãƒ £o em geral. Passeios de barco e pesca em famà ­lia eram muito praticados. A caà §a dos animais do deserto representou uma contribuià §Ãƒ £o modesta à   economia egà ­pcia, e logo se transformou em um esporte de ricos [...] A pesca com arpà £o e vara era realizada normalmente em pequenas balsas de papiro, o que era considerado uma agradà ¡vel diversà £o. A caà §a do hipopà ³tamo era, provavelmente mais que um esporte e sim um trabalho necessà ¡rio.

Behavior Therapy: Basic Concepts, Assessment Methods, and Applications

Behavior Therapy: Basic Concepts, Assessment Methods, and Applications. Different kinds of psychotherapies have existed throughout history, and have always been rooted in philosophical views of human nature (Wachtel P. , 1997). Specifically, behavior therapy intents to help individuals overcome difficulties in nearly any aspect of human experience (Thorpe G. & Olson S. , 1990). The techniques of behavior therapy have been applied to education, the workplace, consumer activities, and even sports, but behavior therapy in clinical settings is largely concerned with the assessment of mental health problems.In general, behavior therapy is a type of psychotherapy that aims on changing undesirable types of behavior. It engages in identifying objectionable, maladaptive behaviors and replacing them with healthier ones. . According to Rimm D. & Masters J. (1974), the label â€Å"behavior therapy† comprises a large number of different techniques that make use of psychological-especially learning- principles to deal with maladaptive human behavior. Behavior therapy is a relative new kind of psychotherapy (Corsini R. & Wedding D. , 2008).As a systematic approach, behavior therapy began in the 1950’s, in order to assess and treat psychological disorders. Behavior therapy was developed by a small group of psychologists and physicians who were not satisfied with the conventional techniques of psychotherapy (Thorpe G. et al, 1990). They linked behavior therapy to experimental psychology, differentiating it from other preexisting approaches. During behavior therapy’s first phase, the applied developed from principles of classical and operant conditioning. There are varying views about the best way to define behavior therapy.However, most health professionals agree to Eysenck's definition: â€Å"Behavior therapy is the attempt to alter human behavior and emotions in a beneficial way according to the laws of modern learning theory†. Erwin E. (1978), ins tead of proposing a specific definition for behavior therapy, he referred to some basic and important characteristics that this therapy possesses. According to Erwin, behavior therapy is used largely to lessen human suffering or to improve human functioning. He pointed out that it is a psychological rather than a biological form of treatment.In the cases of phobias treatment, behavior therapy is usually applied to treat the symptoms directly. Moreover, behavior therapy is characteristically used to modify maladaptive behavior or to teach adaptive behavior. This means that the focus is on individuals’ behavior. In some cases, behavior therapy techniques may even be used to reduce unwanted mental states as in Davinson’s (1968) use of counterconditioning to reduce sadistic fantasy, simply because the mental state itself is unwanted (as stated in Erwin, 1978).Another basic characteristic of behavior therapy is that it is often used in an incremental rather than a holistic fashion. Problems that are to be treated are first divided into their components and each component is treated separately. Last, behavior therapy is studied and used experimentally, being closely related to learning theory research. Three main approaches in contemporary behavior therapy have been identified (Corsini R. et al, 2008). These are the applied behavior analysis (ABA), the neobehavioristic meditational stimulus-response model, and the social cognitive theory.ABA refers to the application of the principles of learning and motivation from Behavior Analysis (the scientific study of behavior), and the procedures and technology derived from those principles, to the solution of problems of social significance. This approach is based on Skinner’s radical behaviorism. It identifies behaviors that should be extinguished and behaviors that are to be taught. It makes use of reinforcement, punishment, extinction, stimulus control, and other procedures derived from laboratory re search (Corsini R. et al, 2008).It is most frequently applied to children with autistic spectrum disorders, but is an effective tool for children with behavioral disorders, multiple disabilities, and severe intellectual handicaps. The neobehavioristic meditational stimulus-response (S-R) model features the applications of the principles of classical conditioning, and it derives from the learning theories of Ivan Pavlov, E. Guthrie, lark Hull, O. Mowrer, and N. Miller (as cited in Corsini et al, 2008). The S-R model has been linked to systematic desensitization and flooding.Systematic desensitization was developed by Joseph Wolpe (1958). It is a therapy for phobias based on counterconditioning -a technique for eliminating a conditioned response that involves pairing a conditioned stimulus with another unconditioned stimulus to condition a new response. If the new response in incompatible with the old response, so that only one response can occur at a time, then the new response can r eplace the old one. In systematic desensitization, patients visualize fear- evoking stimuli while relaxing, to associate the stimuli with relaxation instead of fear. (Lieberman D. , 2004).Flooding is another psychotherapeutic technique discovered by psychologist Thomas Stampfl (1967) (as cited in Harold, 1990) that is still used in behavior therapy to treat phobias. It works by exposing the individual to painful memories they already have aiming to put together their repressed feelings with their current awareness. Flooding works on the principles of classical conditioning (Lieberman D. , 2004). Social cognitive theory (SCT) refers to learning in terms of interaction between external stimulus response, external reinforcement, and cognitive meditational processes (Corsini et al 2008).Personal and environmental factors do not function as independent determinants; rather, they determine each other. It is mainly through their behavior that individuals produce the environmental condition s that affect their behavior in a mutual way. New experiences are evaluated in relation to the past; prior experiences help to subsequently direct and inform the individual as to how the present should be considered. Behavior therapy has mainly been associated with the era between 1950 and 1960, especially with the theories of I. Pavlov, E. Skinner, J. Wolpe, and A.Bandura (Yates A. , 1975). It is a clinical application of psychology that relies on empirically-validated principles and procedures (Plaud, 2001). Since the first behavior therapy alternatives to the psychoanalysis and other associated therapies were introduced almost 50 ago (Wolpe, 1958), constant improvements in behavior therapy have mostly been supplied by its foundation on conditioning principles and theories (Eifert ; Plaud, 1998). Specifically, behavior therapy relies exclusively on the experimental methodology initiated by I. Pavlov. Clinical applications of Pavlovian onditioning principles began in 1912, when one of Pavlov’s students, was the first to establish the counter-conditioning effect in the laboratory. Studies on anxiety have considerably assisted behavior therapy’s development. According to Wolpe and Plaud (1997), Wolpe’s experimental studies were based on the implications of early Pavlovian experiments by giving emphasis to the importance of the conditioning procedures. Actually, Wolpe made important contributions to behavioral therapy, such as proposing systematic desensitization and assertiveness training, both of which have become important elements of behavioral therapy.Albert Bandura is usually associated with the development of the social cognitive theory (Corsini et al, 2008). Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory derived from social learning theory. It aims to explain how behavioral principles and norms are learned through an interaction of the individual and his/her environment, mostly through the observing others. Skinner worked on radical behavi orism. He rejected traditional psychology and all the included concepts that referred to what he called mentalism.That meant any concept that revealed a belief in cause and effect relationships between mental activities and learned behavior. In the 1966 edition of his 1928 book, The Behavior of Organisms, Skinner still named the belief that emotions are important factors in behavior a â€Å"mental fiction. † In addition, he thought that it is wrong, or at least not scientific, to consider that people cry because they are sorry or tremble because they are afraid. Behavior therapy developed rapidly. Three â€Å"waves†, that actually are three divisions of the behavior therapy’s development, have been proposed.The first wave focused mainly on altering overt behavior. The second wave focused on the cognitive factors that contribute to behavior. This approach is also known as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The â€Å"third wave† of behavior therapy was propo sed by Hayes, Hollette, and Linehan (as cited in Corsini et al, 2008). It includes dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). On the whole, DBT claims that some individuals, due to unfavorable environments during childhood and due to unknown biological factors, react abnormally to emotional stimulation.Their level of arousal increases much more rapidly, peaks at a higher level, and takes more time to go back to baseline. DBT is a technique for learning skills that aids to reduce this reaction. DBT applies mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance skills (Yates A. , 1975). Mindfulness skills include core skills. They are the most difficult skills to accomplish, but when learned, the process of thoughts and emotions occurs in an significantly different manner.Some of the processes included to the mindfulness skill, as listed by Corsini et al (2008), are the following: Observe or attend to emotions without trying to terminate them when painful, describe a thought or emotion, be nonjudgmental, stay in the present, focus on one thing at a time (one-mindfully). Mindfulness skills are applied in later sessions, when the other (three) types of skills on focus. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a quite new type of psychotherapy, found by Steven C. Hayes in the mid 1990s.It is the development and combination of behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which has mostly been the established therapy for treatment of conditions like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorders. Acceptance and commitment therapy, like CBT, is based on the philosophy of â€Å"Functional Contextualism†, a modern philosophy of science rooted in philosophical pragmatism and contextualism, suggesting that words and ideas can only be understood within some kind of context and they are therefore often misinterpreted due to the fact that people have individual contexts.An ad ditional therapy that has had an impact on ACT is Relational Frame therapy, a type of behavioral analysis focused on language and learning. ACT is differentiated from CBT since it directly accepts the thought, â€Å"Everybody hates me. † This thought is viewed without passion, and sometimes it is transformed to a phrase like â€Å"I am having the thought that everybody hates me. † Ding so may be repeated until the thought becomes defused. Hayes identifies about 100 defusion techniques in ACT. Previous distracting thoughts are not actively dismisses by the individual going through ACT.This is another distinguishing factor from CBT which intends to reduce distracting and unhelpful thoughts. ACT therapists argue that the process of their therapy is much briefer than CBT, and for that reason it is considered more effective. There is a variety of concepts referring to behavior therapy. Two main categories of those concepts are the learning principles and the personal variab les. In classical conditioning, the researcher begins with identifying a reflex response, one that is activated regularly by a specific stimulus (Thorpe et al, 1990). In humans, these reflexes include he eye-blink response to dust or a puff of air in the eye, and the reflex of the knee jerk reflex in response to a hit in the correct point by the researcher’s hammer. Such reflexes appear regularly without any particular guidance, so they are considered to be unlearned or unconditioned. Classical conditioning occurs when a new stimulus acquires the ability to trigger one of these reflex responses. Operant conditioning makes use of the principles of (positive or negative) reinforcement and (positive/negative) punishment to bring about a desired response. (Lieberman D. 1994). Positive reinforcement is the presentation of something pleasant or rewarding immediately following a behavior, but In Negative Reinforcement a particular behavior is strengthened by the consequence of the s topping or avoiding of a negative condition. Moving to punishment, negative punishment occurs when in an attempt to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring in the future, an operant response is followed by the removal of a desired stimulus, though in positive punishment an operant response is followed by the presentation of an aversive stimulus.Operant conditioning occurs when a consequence eventually becomes expected for a particular behavior. One example would be when a student is rewarded for getting good grades. The positive outcome of their behavior to study and achieve gain those grades is motivated by the anticipation of a positive result in addition to the good grades. In order to teach individuals complex tasks, Skinner proposed a system of successive approximations of operant learning where tasks are broken down into several steps that, when individually learned, summarily progress towards the complex task desired.Extinction refers to the reducing the probability o f a response when a characteristic reinforcing stimulus is no longer presented. Discrimination learning is the process by which individuals learn to differentiate their responses to different stimuli. When the opposite occurs, that is when individuals fail to discriminate between different situations ending up with behavior on situations other than that in which it was acquired, generalization takes place (Corsini R. et al, 2008). Personal variables that were proposed by Mischel (1973, as cited in Corsini R. et al, 2008), explain and â€Å"swapping† between individual and situation.They include the individual’s competences to create varied behaviors under appropriate conditions, his/her perception of events and people (including the self), expectancies, subjective values and self-regulatory systems. Behavior therapy is applied for and aims to treat only learned behavioral problems. Sometimes, however, health and learned behavioral problems coexist. Whether the individu al being in treatment has a learned behavioral problem alone, or a learned problem which coexists with a learned one has to be determined in the beginning of the process of behavior therapy.Two additional possible situations are either the individual in therapy to have a learned behavior problem as part of a psychosomatic disorder, or to have a medical problem that just appears to have been learned (Yates A. , 1975). Behavioral assessment is vital to behavior therapy. It developed rapidly during the 1970s, after initially being a covered part of behavior therapy in terms of research and professional development (Thorpe G. , et al, 1990). Now, behavior assessment is a rich and diverse subfield of behavior therapy that continues to develop rapidly.In clinical settings, behavior therapy is a method for treating mental health problems. Treatment involves proposing and putting into practice a plan of action that aims to resolve a problem. Deciding on the plan of action depends on the pro blem formulation so what has to be done in the early sessions of the therapy is the agreement of the therapist and the client on what is wrong and what has to be changed to improve or even eliminate it. Behavior therapy uses a number of assessment methods. In guided imagery the individual is guided in imagining a relaxing scene or series of experiences (Rimm D. t al, 1974). When an individual visualizes an imagined scene reacts as though it were actually occurring; therefore, imagined images can have a great impact on behavior. Role playing is a technique used in behavior therapy to provide partaking and involvement in the learning process (Thorpe G. et al, 1990). It helps the individual (learner) to receive objective feedback about his/her performance. Role playing techniques can be applied to motivate individuals pay more attention to their interpersonal state.One of its most important aspects is that it helps the learner experience a real life situation in a protected setting. Ph ysiological recording, self-monitoring, behavioral observation, and psychological tests and measurements are some more examples of the assessment techniques that can be applied during the behavior therapy (Corsini R. et al, 2008). In general, behavior therapists do not use standardized psychodiagnostic tests and projective tests. They broadly make use of checklists and questionnaires, self-report scales of depression, assertion inventories, etc.These assessment techniques are not sufficient for carrying out a functional analysis of the determinants of a problem, but they are useful in establishing the initial severity of the problem and charting therapeutic efficacy over the course of treatment. In conclusion, the clinical investigations of behavior therapists have significantly improved our understanding of how our behavior is coordinated with external events that occur in our lives; they have created ways of mediating in disturbing interpersonal aspects that were not efficiently t reated through other kinds of therapy.Behavior therapy can be applied to treat a full range of psychological disorders. These include anxiety disorders, depression and suicide, sexual dysfunctions, marital problems, eating and weight disorders, addictive disorders, schizophrenia, childhood disorders, phobias, pain management, hypertension, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, etc. (Thorpe G. et al, 1990). References Corsini R, & Wedding D. (2008). Current Psychotherapies. New York: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Eifert, G. , & Plaud, J. (1998). From behavior theory to behavior therapy (pp. 1-14).Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Erwin E. (1978). Behavior Therapy: Scientific, Philosophical, & Moral Foundations. New York: Cambridge University Press. Harold (1990). Handbook of Social and Evaluation Anxiety. New York: Plenum Press. Lieberman D. (2004). Learning and Memory: an integrative approach. United states: Thomson Wadsworth. Plaud, J. (2001). Clinical science and human behavior. Jou rnal of Clinical Psychology, 57, 1089-1102. Rimm D. , & Masters J. (1974). Behavior Therapy: Techniques and Empirical Findings. New York: Academic press. Thorpe G. , & Olson S. 1990). Behavior Therapy: Concepts, Procedures and Applications. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Wachtel P. , (1997). Psychoanalysis, Behavior Therapy, and the Relational World. Washington DC: American Psychological Association. Wolpe, J. , & Plaud, J. (1997). Pavlov’s contributions to behavior therapy: The obvious and the not so obvious. American Psychologist, 52, 966-972. Wolpe, Joseph. 1958. Psychotherapy by Reciprocal Inhibition. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Yates A. , 1975). Theory and Practice in Behavior Therapy. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Literature in the Trash Essay

Society has almost forgotten how to appreciate literature. These are the themes of both Mario Vargas Llosa’s essay entitled, Why Literature, and Bob Swift’s On Reading Trash. Both writers believe that people nowadays are not delving into books because of misconceptions regarding reading. However, they have written their ideas using very different and contradictory approaches. Llosa’s belief is that people are so engrossed in their own worlds or professions to provide time for reading good literature. Society has learned the wrong notion that great books can only be read by those who can afford to devote time to it. Since work is the priority in most people’s schedules, literature has to be put aside. He also believes that this miserable state of literature in society is caused by the fast development of science and the other scholarly aspects of life. Llosa states that â€Å"in our time, science and technology cannot play an integrating role, precisely because of the infinite richness of knowledge and the speed of its evolution, which have led to specialization and its obscurities.† However, Llosa strongly feels that literature is a binding force that helps humans reconnect with each other through their experiences, dreams and ambitions. He writes that â€Å"the brotherly link that literature establishes among human beings, compelling them to enter into dialogue and making them conscious of a common origin and a common goal, transcends all temporal barriers.† His most controversial claim is that â€Å"genuine literature is always subversive, unsubmissive, rebellious, a challenge to what exists.† He simply wants to imply that good stories or readings usually depict a life that is much better than what reality has to offer. This normal characteristic of literature is a driving force that makes humanity attempt to copy the fictional worlds in books so as to live better lives. Bob Swift’s very brief essay, on the other hand, recounts how he has grown to love reading. His story does not directly point out society’s weaknesses but it is evident to the reader that he is attacking the wrong notion that appreciating literature is only for those who like classical readings. He clearly believes that children should be free to read even popular books (a.k.a. â€Å"trash†) because their appreciation for these simpler to understand books can lead them to love good classical literature. Although both writers are criticizing society for not reading enough, Llosa and Swift have written their essays in very different ways. Llosa used lengthy, descriptive sentences that can easily tire and lose the reader. His use of words that are not commonly heard in daily living can really be very boring to a young reader. Words like â€Å"solipsism† and â€Å"arcane† are deterrents in getting his message across. It might have been easier to understand these words if they were not part of such long sentences that seem to be saying more than just one message at a time. Swift was direct to the point and frank in every way. His use of brief but very concise words allowed the reader to quickly pick up his point. The hardest word in his essay seemed to be â€Å"omnivorous.† However, because the word was used in a very short sentence, it was easy to understand what it meant. Llosa’s approach encompassed the whole world. He even used Spain’s surveys to prove his point. Swift’s farthest distance to get his message across was the local library. Somehow, Llosa’s essay tends to be arrogant and cynical. Statements like â€Å"I feel sorry for these men† and â€Å"they earn my pity† forces the reader to look up to him and feel his judgmental tones. His sentences such as â€Å"When we close the book and abandon literary fiction, we return to actual existence and compare it to the splendid land that we just left. What a disappointment awaits us!† gives a peek to how negative this writer is about his surroundings. Although Llosa claims he loves literature, he delved too much on the subject of what hinders good literature from being read to the point that the reader does not feel the passion in his words. The author’s perspective dwelt so much on current and historical problems that it was inevitable for the reader to feel anxious throughout the essay. It seems he has alienated himself from the world because of literature. Swift’s love for reading is very much felt in every paragraph of his essay. His personal approach and overflowing description of his excitement when he is reading books was contagious. One cannot help but reach out for a story to read after finishing his essay. Swift’s very practical and positive outlook is evident in the way he has written his essay. His own theory that states â€Å"if you get kids interested in reading books – no matter what sort – they will eventually go to the grander literature all by them selves† shows how down to earth the author is. It also shows how much faith he has on beginning readers. Mario Vargas Llosa and Bob Swift both recognized that society’s misconception about literature is a problem that needs to be addressed. Their approaches to the subject provide clues to their own outlooks in life. Whichever approach may be preferred, it is still to a reader’s advantage to learn his lesson from these authors and read a good book soon.