What were the relative influences on Macbeth to kill his King essay Example For Students

What were the relative influences on Macbeth to kill his King essay There were a number of factors that influenced Macbeth’s decision whether to assassinate King Duncan or not. Each of these arguments worked for or against Macbeth’s better judgement of the situation. Eventually, a combination of all these factors broke down his conscience through his mental weakness; this led to an unwise decision to kill the King. The consequences of this were fairly disastrous because Macbeth began to regret his actions just moments after the deed was done. The whole concept of Macbeth’s desire to become King of Scotland began when he and Banquo first met the three witches on the moorland. The witches greeted Macbeth each with a prophecy of his future titles: ‘All hail to thee, Thane of Glamis We will write a custom essay on What were the relative influences on Macbeth to kill his King specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now All hail to thee Thane of Cawdor All hail to thee Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter’ Macbeth seemed to be somewhat stunned by the witches prophecies, whereas Banquo continued to question the three witches in a calm and humorous manner. He noticed Macbeth’s troubled facial expression and said: ‘Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear Things that do sound so fair?’ This was the point where Macbeth started to seriously think about the witches’ predictions, the possibilities of becoming King, and how he was going to become King. Although he appears to be head-strong in the opening scenes, the witches’ predictions frighten him because he knows he wants to become King, but he realises that he has to take action to progress any further. One of Macbeth’s first soliloquies shows us that he has frightening thoughts, as the idea of murder has slipped into his mind. Although the witches did not suggest murder, Macbeth starts to think solemnly about killing King Duncan. Near the beginning of his first soliloquy, he says: ‘If good, why do I yield to that suggestion Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, Against the use of nature?’ Macbeth is showing here that deep inside him, there are forces that want him to take action to become King, even if this action is murder. In a way, this scares him, as it would you or me if in his position. It is already starting to show that he is brave in battle, but fragile in mind. Macbeth’s conscience works well for him at first by helping him reject the idea of murder, as Macbeth tells himself: ‘If I chance will have me King, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir.’ This means that if the witches’ prophecies are true, then he will become King whatever the circumstances, so he wouldn’t need to commit any crimes, for example murder. By the end of scene four, Macbeth realises that he may have to take some action to become King, whether it be murder or not. His soliloquy indicates that he wants no one to see what he feels, and what he wants to do. He admits to himself that he has black and deep desires locked up inside him, which he does not want anyone good to see, as he says: â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step On which I must fall down, or else o’er leap, For in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires! Let not light see my black and deep desires;† From one of Macbeth and his wife’s first conversations, he proves his reluctance to give his wife a final decision on the matter. As he says: â€Å"We will speak further.† He seems to have developed an uncertainty about the situation, and fails to stand up to his wife for the first time and say, â€Å"I will not murder the King†. He hasn’t completely dismissed the subject, but so far it is in his best interests to let his wife know that he is not all for the idea of murder. This would help her understand Macbeth’s side of the story, so she would not be so much against him. At the banquet, Duncan proclaims that his son Malcolm is next in line to the throne. Macbeth then acquires the understanding that to become King, he has to overcome an even larger task now- to kill the King and his two sons. .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .postImageUrl , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:hover , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:visited , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:active { border:0!important; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:active , .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u45ddb89ee957f07e14aed9284d42b40a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: There are many different aspects of Love in "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare EssayYou can already tell that Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, hold no secrets from each other, and that they share a loving and affectionate relationship. This relationship is gradually destroyed by the consequences of both their actions to promote Macbeth to King of Scotland. By the end of act 1 you can tell that Lady Macbeth is the more dominant partner in the relationship. This is indicated by the fact that she takes no less than full control of the situation, and Macbeth is happy to let her have the responsibility. It is clear by now that Lady Macbeth’s desire to become Queen is just as strong as her spouse’s are to become King. She even went to the limits and called evil spirits upon herself, and gave up all the tender, gentle qualities of a woman to become a sexless pitiless fiend. One of her motives for doing this is likely to be the fact that she would become Queen of Scotland if Macbeth became King. Her only problem is that she knows Macbeth would need a lot of persuasion to complete the task at hand, but she also knows that Macbeth is too loyal to kill the King and his two sons. In act 1 scene 7, when Macbeth is alone after dinner, he seriously thinks about murdering his King, how he is going to do it, and if he is going to do it. His conscience counter-acts these terrible thoughts by making him think about his duties as a kinsman, a subject of the King, and a host to his guest. He also thinks about the fact that all crime is punished, whether it be in this life or the next. One of Macbeth’s most justified reasons against murdering the King, is that his death would be mourned throughout Scotland, and regarded as a tragedy in the extreme. Macbeth also begins to think about King Duncan’s kind-hearted and trusting character, and how he considers him to be a King of almost divine excellence. Macbeth then studies his own despicable motive for killing the King, and he can only find one pathetic reason. He refers to this as his ‘vaulting ambition’, and he realises now that such a high vault could only lead to a fall with undoubtedly severe consequences. Macbeth finally makes his decision on this matter and tells his wife: ‘We will proceed no further in this business’ This is the most decisive Macbeth has ever been in the play, and so he starts to think highly of himself for standing up to his dominant wife for once. He obviously didn’t think about the consequences of his actions and was totally unprepared for the fury and insults his wife was about to give him. Lady Macbeth uses a wise way of convincing Macbeth to change his mind to kill the King. She picks on three main points which, by the end of her speech, breaks down Macbeth and so once again she gets her own way. The first point is when Lady Macbeth says: ‘From this time Such I account thy love. Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire?’ What she is saying to Macbeth here is ‘if you don’t do it, then you don’t love me’. This influences him because he does love his wife and he doesn’t want to lose her affection. So this helps to change his mind. The second point is probably the most influential issue of the three; this is when Lady Macbeth says: ‘Wouldst thou have that Which esteem’st the ornament of life, And live a coward in thine own esteem, Letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’, Like the poor cat i’ the adage?’ What Lady Macbeth is doing here is calling Macbeth a coward. This would deeply offend him because it is insulting his manlihood and is basically challenging his right of being a man. This makes him want to prove her wrong and redeem himself from being called a coward. .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .postImageUrl , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:hover , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:visited , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:active { border:0!important; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:active , .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1 .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8f18b909542de06987a755d77fa261c1:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Eddie and Mickey and evaluates the situation EssayThe third point is the one that finalises Macbeth’s decision; this is when Lady Macbeth says: ‘I have given suck, and know How tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me; I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have pluck’d my nipple from its boneless gums, And dash’d the brains out, had I sworn as you Have done to this.’ This means that she’d never break a promise and always keeps her word. She is implying that Macbeth doesn’t know how powerful a promise can be to a person, and how far you should go to keep one. To give an example of this, she uses a foul and disgusting way of expressing how far she would go to keep a promise that she had sworn on. The example she gives of beating the brains out of her own child just proves that she is beginning to go insane and psychotic. All of this abuse from his wife defeats him and immediately alters Macbeth’s final decision and so he has agreed with his wife to kill the King. By now, Macbeth is starting to show signs of stress, for out in the courtyard, he seems to speak few words in reply to Banquo’s comments and questions. Also, he is very confused about what is going on and what he is about to do in the near future. He is convinced that he is living in his own nightmare. Macbeth is alarmed when his imagination first creates the dagger, because it is a part of his conscience and his deteriorating mental state. The hallucination he is experiencing is caused by stress. What makes the situation worse, is that his conscience is almost certainly lost now, and instead of helping him, it lures him further down the corridor. As Macbeth follows the floating dagger, it is as if the pace of his words slows down as he walks along the corridor. This is a good use of language because it makes it sound as if his steps are getting heavier. Although he was scared when the dagger originally appeared, he doesn’t seem to mind murdering his King as much as he feared before, because Shakespeare introduces a touch of sick and frightening humour into Macbeth when he says: ‘The bell invites me. Hear it not Duncan; for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven, or to hell.’ Immediately after the terrible deed is done, Macbeth begins to regret what they have planned and done. He and his wife show signs of great tension and stress, by the way they speak. Instead of speaking in an intellectual and poetic sense, they begin to talk to each other in less complex single word sentences. Although they are both tense and uncertain whether they have made the right decision or not, Lady Macbeth shows now to be the stronger partner in the duo. As a conclusion, I think that the final event that modified Macbeth’s decision was the speech from Lady Macbeth. When she used emotional blackmail, insulted his manlihood, and said she’d even kill her own baby in order to keep her word, she completely turned Macbeth around. Although this was the main turning point for Macbeth’s lifestyle, there were many other factors that influenced his final decision to commit the crime of murder. All this so far has come together to prove that Macbeth maybe strong and valiant on the outside and very mentally stable and confident in battle, but he just can’t stand up to his wife. This may be because he doesn’t want to lose his wife, or it could mean that he is just mentally weak when it comes to his emotional situations. This shows that he has very little will power and is an emotional coward. All of the Shakespearean plays end in tragedy, and Macbeth was not an exception. Macbeth, as the main character, and also a battle-scared hero, is the person whose life ends in tragedy. He enters the play as a ‘valiant’, and ‘brave’ man, but ends up a twisted wreckage of a hero who once was.

List of Persuasive Techniques to Win Any Debate

List of Persuasive Techniques to Win Any Debate Its happened to everyone. You got into a heated discussion with someone over a serious topic but left feeling like you had lost the argument. Even if you have sound ideas in your head, getting them across effectively takes skill and practice. Here are nine tips on persuading your opponent and winning that next debate. Be Informed It may seem obvious, but if you dont know a lot about the matter being discussed, youre not likely to make a strong case for your opinion. Its not enough to say, Movie X is ridiculous, or Book Y is stupid. If you cant offer facts to back up your statements, you will come across as nothing more than a bag of hot air. Be Confident Even if you have statistics and other hard facts to back up your opinion, they wont make an impression if you deliver them weakly. The moment you appear to be unsure of yourself, your opponent will move in for the kill, and once you lose your footing, you may not be able to recover from the blow. Even if youre arguing something thats blatantly wrong, delivering your message confidently may be enough to win at least some spectators over to your side. Be Open-Minded As the long-running TV show Criminal Minds asserts, To catch a killer, you have to think like one. Likewise, to argue effectively, you need to understand how your opponent thinks and why he or she believes strongly in their viewpoint. Understanding your opponents angle will help you be more respectful, and paradoxically, this will help you make more intelligent statements. If you think your opponent is being stupid or silly, youre less likely to get to the crux of the issue and win the argument. Be Logical If you havent yet taken a logic class, be sure to register for one during your college career. Youll learn invaluable skills that will serve you in your career and your personal life. In general, be sure not to contradict yourself. Refer back to your earlier statements, and be ready to point out fallacies in your opponents logic. Be Attentive A good argument is about what you say and what you hear. If youre not paying attention to what your opponent says, you may not come up with effective counterarguments. You could also miss key opportunities to break down your opponents case. While its tempting to think about what youre going to say next, remember that theres no timer in a real-life debate. Listen carefully. You can always take a few moments before responding. Be Inquisitive A good argument includes not only statements, but also questions. Think about how a trial lawyer questions witnesses in the courtroom to elicit desired information. Use well-timed and well-phrased questions to break down your opponents argument. Ask if the person has any facts to back up his or her claims. Ask hypothetical questions to illustrate a poor idea. You can also question your opponents motivation by saying things such as, Why are you so rigid about this issue? Be Reasonable If your opponent should happen to point out a flaw in your own argument, concede gracefully. Defending a glaring error will not help you win the overall argument. Rather, use the opportunity to make an Okay, but†¦ type of response. The balls in your court, so distract the opponent (and any audience) from the mistake and get things back on track. Be Focused Choose your battles. Focus on your stronger evidence, and eliminate the weaker. Its better to make fewer valid points than to make many dubious ones. If skilled, your opponent will quickly swoop down on your less effective statements and break down your argument. One or two solid points are difficult to pick apart. Be Provocative By that, we dont mean stripping down to your underwear during a debate- although that would certainly serve as a temporary distraction! Instead, you can find subtle ways to anger your opponent. Once that person loses his or her temper, he or she may lose their grip on their solid argument. As soon as they falter, you can take advantage of their weakness. Or your opponent may become so angry that he or she withdraws from the argument, which makes you appear to have won. Finally, try to stay calm yourself. Once you blow your top, your debating skills will become impaired, and your whole case may be derailed. Theres no reason to lose your temper, even if you outright lose an argument. Examine what went wrong so you can do your best to change the outcome next time around.

Now...This by Neil Postman Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Now...This by Neil Postman - Article Example The understanding is also tolerated. There is no destruction so cruel, no tremor so ravaging, no political error so high-priced--for that matter, no ball score so provoking or weather description so threatening--that it cannot be erased from minds by a newscaster saying, "Now . . . This."Â  (Postman) What the newscasters purport is the previous matters have been thought about for a long time. Therefore, it is necessary for alteration of the scene and perception of the viewers. This can be done by changing what preoccupies the mind with a new idea or news fragment. This is done in the mentality of commercialization in terms of promotion and marketing to meet the current demands by the community. This process of thought does not take more than an hour in psychological mind. Television and radio are mediums that are used by a discrete event in every halt an hour to disseminate separate contents. The contents may have separate contexts and emotional characteristic structure from the follows and precedes it. Because the media promotion takes place in minutes and seconds, maybe because the audience can be manipulated through the communication platform of imagery and words, the structuring of programs is done in a way that each segment of 8 minutes’ ability to stand as a separate complete event. (Stewart) News in the television is merely entertainment. It is engulfed with a cast of actors who are admirable and credible. Analytically, the Television news anchors are mostly women of the age gap from 20 to 45 and are exceptionally beautiful. It also includes men who are handsome, who are not bald, fat, have neither long noses nor closed eyes. In the definition of truth, the ultimate propositional test of the teller determines the television’s credibility. This means that if the society trusts in the teller then what he or she says is classified as the truth. In other words, the truth

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Economics - Essay Example tes are monitored and patterns are formed depending on the changes within the rate; those that monitor the rate trying to detect and understand the ways that the levels increase or decrease, or why there are so many or so few people that are unemployed and to the reasons behind those factors. The inflation rate is the measure of the increase of a price index. The rate of decrease in the power of purchasing is shown to be equal, or within the same range as the increase of a price index. The interest rate of an item, service, or monetary loan is the percentage of the principle that is paid as interest over a specific duration of time. The interest is involved in the inflation rate of an item as it adds or subtracts from the overall price index. The circular flow diagram illustrates the interaction of households, government, and business by showing how each of them influence the other and progress the workings of each other. The diagram shows the chain reaction that they all cause for each other, how the individual benefits the whole. The clockwise flow of the products, goods, and services are equally balanced by the counterclockwise flow of payments; everything is done in a pattern that can decrease or increase. Households purchase from businesses that get their products from their producers. The government falls into place when they charge taxes on the items being produced by companies and bought by consumers, or the households. Firms that are involved in this circle make factor payments, which include wages, interest payments, rent, and royalties in exchange for their labor services and any resources that they may buy. The circular flow diagram shows how each factor of the chart needs each other factor to function properly and to maintain business; it shows action and reaction in regards to consumerism. The circular flow chart is given its name because of this pattern, the continuous flow that these factors involve themselves and each other

China's One Child Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

China's One Child Policy - Essay Example wever, if the first child turns out to be a girl, the couple is allowed to have a second sibling of the girl (BBC, â€Å"China dissident Chen Guangcheng arrives in the US†). The Chinese government was also observed to be majorly in the favor of the law of One-Child Policy, as it helped to control the massive population growth and thus reduce unemployment and redundancy issues. This was further expected to enhance the economic conditions of the country by a large extent. It is in this context that after the imposition of this law, the extent of population in Chinese economy reduced to a certain extent which proved quite beneficial for the government to facilitate the economic growth drivers in terms of wealth distribution and education among others (BBC, â€Å"Hong Kong to Limit Mainland China Maternity Services†). The law of One-Child Policy was established in the year 1979, in order to diminish the hastily increasing population of China and the further consequences led by such issues. The objective of this law was to impose a legal restriction on the couples, discouraging them from having more than one child. For this reason, it is also referred to as family planning policy. Even though it has often been noted to be misinterpreted by maximum citizens referring it as a forced strategy to have a single child, this law was principally implemented to enhance the development and well-being of the economy thereby reducing its level of paucity (Devichand, â€Å"China: Growing Old Before It Can Grow Rich?†). One-Child Policy can be regarded as a vital populace control approach which has been implemented by the Chinese government for the betterment of the economy. However, it also had a negative impact over the populace by enhancing the rate of female infanticide and strained abortions. It is in this context that abortions took place even at the final stages of pregnancy leading to varied types of complications towards the health of the female populace (Lim, â€Å"Enter the

Overview And Analysis Of Overconfidence

Overview And Analysis Of Overconfidence Overconfidence has to with presumption and excessive believe in ones abilities. In as much as people are gifted with various talents and abilities, it is incumbent of people to try and tone down on how they expose these to others as people can be very judgmental. Overconfidence therefore is having a cocksure mentality which is mostly not desirable in the society today. I really detest cocky individuals as they have a mentality of knowing-it-all and have a great disregard about other peoples opinions and contributions in day to day events in our lives. In this way most people often shun away these individuals as they are mostly self-centered and egocentric. Overconfidence can turn tragic if events dont work out as anticipated and it is therefore advisable not to be so certain about what lies in the realms of the unknown future. It also certainly adds pressure to our lives as we try too hard to achieve and even exceed in things that we do. It therefore leaves us doing our daily activities anchoring the outcome on what people would think of it therefore disregarding the very purpose of simplicity and comfort in life. Overconfident people are seen to be obnoxious and personally do not attract me very much. Creating an air of self-reliance in thoughts therefore isolates and individual as many tend not associate with people who do not appreciate contributions of others in society. Therefore loosening up and accommodating others makes them feel less intimidated and give them a feeling of playing a role in a team Overconfidence should therefore generally be discouraged unless it is done with moderation so as not to look unpleasant to others. This is especially in places like job interviews when one has little time to cut a niche for themselves and appear as the most ideal candidates for positions. Hypothesis This is a tentative proposition that is due to be verified or proven in future. It is a proposition whose approval is subject to investigations, often scientific to either affirm or decline the proposition. Personally I have often encountered cases that could have divergent but unknown values or results. The most common way in which I have been able to establish the true values is through hypothesis-testing. This involves giving a statement in the affirmation regarding the hypothesis and another nullifying proposition, often known as the null hypothesis. After research and scientific-based investigations, conclusions are made based on the results that would either confirm or negate the hypothesis. I often feel that hypotheses are a good way of proving scientific theories or untested facts. The hypothesis must always be worded so that it can be able to be tested in your experiment. Do this by often expressing the hypothesis using your selected independent variable (the variable you would be changed during your experiment) and the dependent variable (the variable that is observed-changes in the dependent variable would depend on changes in the independent variable). In fact, in many hypotheses, there are stated exactly as: If a particular independent variable is changed by a given value, then there is also a subsequent change in a certain dependent variable. Hypotheses can sometimes be used to give the wrong analysis of facts. I therefore think that careful scientific backing is mandatory in any of these experiments. In this way, the results are sound and can be proven by any replicated experiment. Critical thinking Critical thinking is a high level of looking at issues in a manner that questions the often assumed conclusions and goes a long way in asserting a sense of exploring every possibility in a theory or allegation. I have always thought of critical thinking as an emancipation of the mind in a way that frees one from the conventional and often made assumptions. Free and independent-mindedness is seminal for critical thinking. It is the only way that people can start to think outside the box and away from the norm. Critical thinking is an intellectually disciplined process which involves use of actively and skillfully applying, conceptualizing, analyzing and evaluating information that has been gathered as a result of experience observation, reflection, reasoning, or even communication. It is based on universally accepted intellectual values that are beyond any subject matter divisions like precision, clarity, consistency, sound evidence relevance or even fairness. It would entail the close scrutiny of elements of thought or structures implicit in all aspects of reasoning: empirical grounding; purpose concepts reasoning leading to conclusions; implications of conclusions and their consequences; objections from alternative views as well as frame of reference. Critical thinking is being responsive to variable viewpoints in subject matter, purposes and issues. It is incorporated in a class of interwoven modes of thinking, among them- mathematical thinking, scientific thinking, economic thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, moral thinking, as well as philosophical thinking. Culture Culture is a set of shared pattern or thought that are common in a given society. The underlying culture of a given person is highly likely to affect an individual. Culture is diverse and it is a product of the environmental set up, this is the reason why, different people in different geographical settings embrace different sets of cultures that are almost similar to those of other people in those particular settings. Each culture has a set of elements that are inherent to that particular culture. In most cultures, language is the key element that determines how different members that belong to that culture communicate. Taboos and norms define what is acceptable within that particular culture. The various elements as defined in each culture help bringing social harmony, which is basically a state of synchronization between various individuals that co-exist in a given society. Without the existence of culture (and the corresponding values), the likelihood of unnecessary collisions with other members of society is very high. More often than not, an individuals culture usually comes into play before making many critical decisions. As a student, more often than not, the decisions I have are to some extent influenced by the different cultures at play-where to learn and the culture of the people there, the various eating cultures of the people, who to interact with and their culture. Most people however, are not very much aware of how culture really affects the short term or long term decisions that they make. Endorphins Endorphins chemicals housed in the brain referred to as neurotransmitters. They perform their functions by transmitting signals of an electrical nature in and around the nervous system. The human system has exhibited numerous types endorphins, which are manifested in different parts. The pituitary gland is where the endorphins are found, the other place is in some parts of the brain and also, they are well distributed in the nervous system. Pain and stress are most common factors leading to the release of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that are released primarily to ease pain in the body. Endorphins have also been known to produce a euphoric feeling amongst people. The release of Endorphin varies among individuals. This means that two people exercising at the same level or suffer the same degree of pain may not necessarily produce similar levels of endorphins. Various activities can be used to increase the levels of endorphin. Studies of acupuncture and massage therapy have shown that exercise can stimulate endorphin secretion. Change of blindness Change blindness refers to the fact that the brain, does not envisage the accurate presentation of the world and the surrounding. The brain first scrutinizes the suitability of data before subsequent storage. One would think that, it all has to do with the eyes, but that is not the case. The brain is responsible for everything that the eyes land on. This implies that, it is not possible for the brain to recognize change to any given object, if there is no memory of the object stored in the brain. This explains the reason why the people could not detect any change when the construction workers switched position and clothing. The attentive nature also contributes to the degree of whether an incidence is stored in the brain or not. If a person is paying close attention to the subject matter, then there is no doubt the brain will be able to store the event and could easily recognize any form of change to the element or object thereof. In the event that, the person was not paying attention, the incidence in question should be one that is able to distract, the people from whatever they are doing to concentrate on it. The brain deals with different situations on a first come, first serve basis. In order for the brain to have memory of the incident, concentration even for a moment is fundamental. Whether the brain is able to absorb and store information or even the change of an element, it all depends on state of mind of the person at the time. Busy minds will tend not to notice any changes in the surrounding at all. This is because the mind is occupied. However, idle minds will most certainly see a change in the environment. This is because the brain is not concentrating on any particular element or issue for storage in its memory. However the nature of the event should be able to attract significant attention. Rapid eye movement Rapid eye movement is the commonly known as REM sleep is the point of sleep, where there is movement of eyes randomly. Random eye movement is subject to numerous changes in the physiology, in addition to the fact that it is periodical in nature. When we are asleep and not having any dreams our eyes do not record any movements at all. The random movement of eyes is demonstrated when one starts to dream. At this point the activity recorded by the brain bears a close resemblance to that when one is awake. REM sleep is progressive in nature and will keep up to the pick of the night, when it is assumed that one is at the pick of his or her sleep. As the night drifts towards the end, the intensity of REM sleep increases. However the REM sleep differs significantly depending on the age of the person. This implies that REM sleep is more pronounced in babies than it is experienced by adults. The babies experience REM sleep in most of their sleep. The adults on the other hand experience REM sleep in a very small portion of their sleep. REM sleep is essential in the preservation of the overall memory in the brain. Despite this, REM sleep is accompanied by irregularity of the rate of the heart, coupled with the fact that, the rate of breathing is irregular. In addition to this, REM results to the improper regulation of the temperature in the body. REM is not common at all, and the only way one can easily slide to REM sleep is in the event of deprived sleeping hours. The people who have not slept for a while will most certainly drift to REM sleep much faster than those who are in a good condition as regards sleep deprivation. During REM sleep, it is not the brain only where activity is recorded, rather in numerous other parts of the body. One thing is for sure REM sleep, engages parts of the body as if the person was awake. Depressants A depressant refers to a substance, especially drug that impairs by slowing down the nervous system. The operational effect of these drugs to the central nervous system entails action on the neurons which in turn leads to symptoms that vary significantly from one another. The symptoms experienced are relaxation, dizziness, and death in some extreme instances, to mention but a few. Prior to the manifestation of symptoms, the depressants in addition to reducing brain awareness, have the effect of decreasing the central nervous activities. The differences exhibited by these drugs are extremely wide as regards the harmful and safety effects manifested. There is no doubt; most of these drugs are more often than not harmful coupled with the fact that they are pretty much addictive, however a significant portion of these drugs is also safe and of great importance in the medicine world. Benzodiazepines, ethyl alcohol and barbiturates are examples of depressants. Barbiturates for instance is used in medicine to manage seizures, however, it is highly addictive. As a result it not commonly used in hospitals. Alcohol on the other hand is no doubt the most common of all. The effects of alcohol are known to all. In this century, alcohol is the most abused, even the minors are no exception to this predicament presented by alcohol. Despite the problems associated with alcohol, it is not possible to do away with it, because in addition to being legal, it is readily available to any willing buyer. Depressants, though of value to the people are harmful in many ways and people take them despite the impending dangers presented by these drugs. The depressants affect neural activities and as a result create illusion tendencies to the addicts whenever they take them. The depressants temporarily put the addicts in an ideal world, where the reality of life is none existent. This fact makes depressants extremely addictive especially for those who are desperate to escape from the realities of life even for a moment. Color deficient vision Color deficient vision also known as Color blindness is the reduced ability to distinguish between two different colors. The nature and impact of color deficient vision varies depending on the gender of the person. It is no secret; color blindness is more pronounced and manifested in men compared to women. Almost all people who suffer from color deficiency vision suffer specifically from the red-green color blindness. The main reason why men are more likely to be color blind, all has to do with the fact that, color blindness is mainly of red-green type. The red-green color blindness is gender bias, by the fact that it is enjoined in the x chromosomes. The resultant effect is that men will more likely than not suffer from color deficiency vision compared to the women, given that the red-green color deficiency vision is encoded in the xx chromosomes. The red-green color blindness is usually inherited from grandparents. The women do not necessarily suffer from the color deficiency vision, but they carry it pass it over to the child. The woes of people who suffer from the red-green color blindness are not just limited to the green and red color only, but rather extend to other colors in the spectrum. The major problem for the people suffering from the red-green color blindness is associated with the orange color and the green color. However this is not to say that the other colors do not cause their fair share of problems to the people suffering from color blindness. They certainly do, given the fact red-green color blindness is rampant with virtually all people with color deficiency vision suffering from it. Color deficiency vision; though a sensitive issue in different environmental set up and occupations, it does not in any way render the person suffering incompetent. The people could easily do well in the respective work despite the setback of color deficiency vision. Parallel processing Parallel processing refers to the capability of the brain to process and execute information that is of distinct quality. Vision is fundamental, given the fact that the brain the brain partitions whatever that comes to its sights into four sections of motion, depth, color and shape. The brain takes the initiative and scrutinizes them and subsequently evaluates them by making comparisons with the memory. Unlike the processor in the computer, the human brain has the ultimate capability is to process and execute numerous tasks at the same time with the assistance of the central nervous system and other close functions of the body, from the cognition aspects as regards the overall perception, to hearing, and lastly speaking. Co-ordination of a special nature for all these tasks is of great importance for the brain to complete the process successfully. Whereas the computers appears to process multiple tasks at the same time (multi-tasking), what really happens is that the instructions are read into the computer one by one in a mode that is referred to as serial transmission, this helps the computer in allocating suitable time cycles and avoiding resource conflicts that may arise. The working of the computer and the brain can however, be compared. The computer and the human brain have parts that are dedicated to their functionality. At no given point will these parts be used for other purposes and therefore reducing the chances of conflict of resources which may lead to a deadlock. The human brain may be slower than the computer, but one thing is for sure, it is extremely efficient and flexible compared to the processor of the computer. In addition to basic inputs, the computer will require instructions before executing any processes at it disposal.

Militancy in Yemen Essay -- Social Studies

The militant groups related to al-Qaeda have gained considerable strength in the southern region of Yemen. These militant groups are reported to be stronger than the country’s military, and this can be seen from the level of the expansion made by the militancy. During his regime, Ali Abdullah Saleh described Yemen as â€Å"an island in a sea of al-Qaeda† (Raghavan). In late February of 2012, a regime change happened in Yemen as Saleh stepped down from the presidency, and Hadi was elected the new president in a one candidate election. In the midst of the Arab Spring movement to the transfer of power from Saleh to Hadi and the present situations in Yemen, the Islamist militant groups have garnered greater control over some of the state’s southern regions. The emergence and expansion of al-Qaeda related Islamist militant groups can be seen as an effect of the separationist movement that exists within the southern region of Yemen. The separationist movement arose in the south, in response to the perceived socioeconomic inequality between the northern and southern regions under Saleh. Before its unification, there were two regions of Yemen; the north had the Ottoman and Zaidi (Shiite-sect) influence, while the south was influenced by socialism. In the 1990, Yemen was united under Saleh, but a civil war broke out in 1994, resulting in the emergence of separationist groups. Even though this protest was put down, more protests emerged as years went on. For example, â€Å"al-Herak† held protests for â€Å"equal rights for southerners in 2007, and their initially peaceful movement was met with deadly force by former president Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime† (al-Shamahi). Since the unification of the two regions, Saleh was the one in power; this shows that ... ...s and Media, 22 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2012. . Corera, Gordon. "Al-Qaeda Underwear Bomber 'was Undercover Agent'" BBC News. BBC, 05 Oct. 2012. Web. 22 May 2012. . Ghobari, Mohammed. "Somber Yemen Parade Takes Place after Huge Bomb Attack." Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 22 May 2012. Web. 22 May 2012. . Raghavan, Sudarsan. "Militants Create Haven in Southern Yemen." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 01 Jan. 2012. Web. 22 May 2012. . Rashid, Ahmed. "The Taliban: Exporting Extremism." Foreign Affairs 78.6 (1999): 22-36. Print.

Response to the Story “Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self”

â€Å"Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self† written by Alice Walker, is a gentle and easy to understand story. It is not that the story is a boring and no highlight. When reading the book, it’s like I am hearing my friend’s story. Alice’s emotion changed totally different before and after the â€Å"accident†. Before the accident, she described herself as if she was the most beautiful and intelligent girl in the world. When Alice was only two and a half years old, when her father was chosen which kids to take with him to the fair, she knew that it would definitely be her, because she was the â€Å"prettiest†.When she six years old, she learned by heart the longest Easter speech. In her beautiful dress, Alice rose to give a speech in a â€Å"great wave of love and pride and expectation†. People praised her to be the cutest things and she was proud about that. The way Alice described herself and how other people applauded and admired her show a very confident and sometime a bit of haughty in her. Two years later, Alice was an eight years old tomboy. Like almost other kids, she was trying to follow whatever her older brothers do. But because she is a girl, so instead of getting a gun, she could only play with her bow and arrow.This is the turning point of the story, when the â€Å"accident† happed and completely changed Alice’s life. She was shot in the eye by the BB gun of her brothers. The doctor said that Alice would likely to be blind, not only one but both eyes. She was terrified but what she care the most is not about whether she could see or not. It is her beautiful that she cared about. She scared how people would look at â€Å"the glop of whitish scar† on her eyes. She was no longer the prettiest and the cutest girl. For six years, Alice did not raise her head and stare at anyone.The scare took everything from her: her beauty, her pride and her person from inside. Alice asked her mo ther and sister whether she changed. What does she really mean by the word â€Å"change†? Her beauty or her personality? The answer was â€Å"no† but this was because Alice’s mother and sister did not want to hurt her or because they really thought that she had never changed? What they saw in her is her personality not her appearance. However, Alice at that time was only a little girl. I do not expect she will care or think deeper about things and people around her.The eight years old girl only cared that people would never admire or applauded her again. To the little Alice, beauty was too important. She hated her eyes, she abused it every night and she â€Å"praised for beauty†. Six years later, Alice was lucky enough to find a good doctor and got her glop removed. This event, on more time, change her life or in another word, her attitude toward life. Alice moved from a closed person who only saw the world with black color into a positive and active pers on. She won the boyfriend of her dream, made plenty of friends and got extremely good result in study.The appearance was no longer important to Alice. She talked about her beautiful classmate with a sarcastic voice â€Å"Ironically, the girl who was voted the most beautiful in our class (and was) was later shot twice through the chest by a male companion, using a â€Å"real† gun, while she was pregnant† Nineteen years later since the â€Å"accident†, Alice was no more a little girl; she had a little daughter named Rebecca. Still, deep inside her, the scare that her different eyes would make her little baby felt ashamed and she prepared herself for that.But no, Rebecca did not scare of her mom. Instead, the baby saw a whole world in that eye. She saw her mother eye as the most wonderful thing on earth. This totally pulled Alice out of the past. She was no more afraid of her difference. She understand that the most cherish thing of a person is not the out-side app earance but it is the beautiful personal inside. Again, Alice saw herself as a beautiful, whole and free person. The story ended with a happy ending that Alice finally found herself and gained back her confident.However, I question myself that what if, Alice was never found such a good doctor, and the scare would never be removed. Will she change? Will she realizes that the inner personality is the most important? Apparently from the story that Alice only changed when she got some part of her beauty back. Maybe because at that time she was just a small girl who did not understand much about life and what is the true value of it. If the scar still there, maybe she would change someday when she grew up and maybe she would never change.

The Lord of the Flies by Golding. An epic tale that depicts the different facets of the human spirit

The Lord of the Flies by Golding. An epic tale that depicts the different facets of the human spirit The adventure novel, The Lord of the Flies, was an epic tale that depicted the differentfacets of the human spirit. It was written by William Golding in the 1950's and recievedmany awards. Idt was declared the "Outstanding Novel of the Year" by E.M. Forrester.The author did in no wat mean for this story to be biographical, but Mr. Golding depictedwell the many different aspect of human nature. The book has been described as"provacative, vivid and enthralling," but Time and Tide said it best when they wrote, "It isnot only a first-rate adventure story but a parable of our times."The novel took place on an island probably somewhere in the middle of theAtlantic. This can be inferred because of the fact that the boys are British and that theyarrived on the island by way of a plane cradsh. The story also occurred during wartime.Ralph Wolf as he prepares to jack a sheep.The story begins when a group of British boys crash on an uninhabited island. Inthe beginning they area all unruly and un morginized. Finally, a boy by the nakme of Ralphdecides to take charge and call a meeting. The boys declare him "chief" and then begin tofollow his lead. Ralph is also assisted by another lad by the name of Piggy. The group ofboys were getting along fine until Jack Merridew, a boy who wanted to be "chief" instead,decided to go his own way. He disobeyed Ralph and did things his own way. He was topreoccupied witdh his own whims to do the act that was most important on the island,which was to keep the signal going so they could be rescued. Finally, Jack went againstRalph and declared that if any of the other boys wanted to have "fun," which...

I Hate Kids

I Hate Kids I Hate Kids I Hate Kids By Maeve Maddox No, I don’t hate children, young people, babies, infants, toddlers, adolescents, teenagers, or youth. I hate the universal use of the word â€Å"kid† or its plural to denote any and all of the categories of juvenile human beings. The word â€Å"kid† has its uses, certainly. It can be a friendly word, a loving wordin certain contexts. It does not, however, belong in every context. Words have connotations, subtle nuances of meaning that color the denotation of the word. When writers begin to use certain words as if one size fits all, meanings become distorted and underlying facts are distorted. The word â€Å"kid† has so many connotations that it is rarely the best choice in the context of news reporting. In addition to conveying youthfulness, the word â€Å"kid† has connotations of irresponsibility, poor judgment, innocence, and mischievousness. Adult behavior is not expected of â€Å"kids.† â€Å" Kids will be kids†. â€Å"Kids† are not to be taken seriously. Whatever â€Å"kids† do should be forgiven, because, after all, they’re â€Å"just kids.† And since â€Å"kids† are not adults, what they do doesn’t matter quite as much. These connotations become problematic in a news story that reports misbehaving juveniles who vandalize stores and cemeteries and beat homeless people to death. By calling these young criminals â€Å"kids,† the reporter is unconsciously asking the reader to make allowances for their behavior. News writers need to think twice before referring to accused rapists as â€Å"kids.† I am probably beating a dead horse. A new medical facility is under construction in my area. It’s going to be called the â€Å"Kids’ Clinic.† I’m just waiting for the day when I go to an art museum and see a portrait of the Blessed Virgin and Baby Jesus labeled â€Å"Mother and Kid.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidAt Your Disposal10 Tips About How to Write a Caption

Habitus in the Modern World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Habitus in the Modern World - Essay Example "The struggle of social distinction, whatever its symbolic form, is for Bourdieu a fundamental dimension of all social life. The larger issue, then, is one of power relations among individuals, groups and institutions (particularly the educational system). Indeed, for Bourdieu power is not a separate domain of study but stands at the heart of all social life" (6). To discover how power is regulated and dispersed throughout the sociological systems of human existence, Bourdieu strove throughout his life to discover the 'master' science that would unlock the codes of human behaviors regardless of culture or society. While sociological theories are often dedicated most stringently to the various hierarchies and power balances as they are found within the group structures, Bourdieu took his ideas further to explore how the various individuals within the group were typically provided their status and power, concentrating most especially upon how they learned the rules of the game when no rules, written or otherwise, are to be found. Within his work, Bourdieu struggled always to find a sort of 'master' science that would explain the various detailed elements of ever... y of the laws whereby structures tend to reproduce themselves by producing agents invested with the system of dispositions which is able to engender practices adapted to these structures and thus contribute to their production" (Bourdieu, 1973 cited in 7). This definition being about as convoluted as a pig's tail, what Bourdieu is essentially indicating is the process of regeneration of social institutions through imperfect repetition. A very simple, and perhaps not fully accurate, analogy to this process would be in the social system of an audience. As a collective group, the audience tends to encourage behaviors such as being silent, remaining attentive to what's happening on stage and clapping at the appropriate moments. This would be the first structure. This structure produces agents, the audience members, who are already predisposed to behave as an audience when the situation demands. As these individuals go into 'audience' mode in a given situation, they encourage others to be have in similar ways, thus contributing to their [the audience structure] production. While this establishes some of the mechanisms in place at the group level, it doesn't go far to explain the interrelationship between the group and the individual. For Bourdieu, the key question centered on discovering how individuals became members of groups, gaining their individual elements of power and status within that group, without any form of written or even informal rules. This was the key element of his research as he developed his conceptions of habitus, field and agency. By understanding the interrelated nature of Bourdieu's ideas concerning habitus, field and agency, it is possible to understand how his theories might be applied to current sociological concerns such as contemporary

Engineering Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Engineering Ethics - Assignment Example To understand about engineering ethics, it is important to analyze a recent case which involved the breach of these ethics. For instance, the latest engineering ethical issue that occurred on the 17th of October 2011 involved the Cardino Entrix Review Contract which raised sticky engineering issues. Despite meeting the relevant ethical engineering code of standards, the environmental consultants for the Keystone XL Pipeline project of the state department should have rejected the offer to take up the job as it depicted a conflict of interest. The conflict of interest in this case was as a result of suspicions of some sneaky actions. The avoidance of a conflict of interest is vital in the engineering ethical codes as Caredino Entrix had to disclose all the activities of the prior work in relation to Trans Canada who is the pipeline developer. This is vital as the absence of the application of the regulation, federal law and has to be done in a manner that will not create a conflict. This will only be possible if there is full transparent disclosure of the firm’s activities in the prior work. The engineers’ ethics codes require professional engineers to pay special consideration to the safety, health and the welfare of the community (Richard). After working as a team during the semester, there are several professionalism and ethical characteristics that have learned to practice in my engineering job. It is evident that within the engineering profession teamwork is an important aspect. Therefore, it is very important that I become accountable for my actions. It is also important to work in relation to moral ethics as well as set professional standard within my job