Philosophy Mathematical Notion Of Infinity Essays -

Philosophy: Mathematical Notion Of Infinity The mathematical notion of infinity can be conceptualized in many different ways. First, as counting by hundreds for the rest of our lives, an endless quantity. It can also be thought of as digging a whole in hell for eternity, negative infinity. The concept I will explore, however, is infinitely smaller quantities, through radioactive decay Infinity is by definition an indefinitely large quantity. It is hard to grasp the magnitude of such an idea. When we examine infinity further by setting up one-to-one correspondence's between sets we see a few peculiarities. There are as many natural numbers as even numbers. We also see there are as many natural numbers as multiples of two. This poses the problem of designating the cardinality of the natural numbers. The standard symbol for the cardinality of the natural numbers is o. The set of even natural numbers has the same number of members as the set of natural numbers. The both have the same cardinality o. By transfinite arithmetic we can see this exemplified. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ? 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 ? When we add one number to the set of evens, in this case 0 it appears that the bottom set is larger, but when we shift the bottom set over our initial statement is true again. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ? 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 ? We again have achieved a one-to-one correspondence with the top row, this proves that the cardinality of both is the same being o. This correspondence leads to the conclusion that o+1=o. When we add two infinite sets together, we also get the sum of infinity; o+o=o. This being said we can try to find larger sets of infinity. Cantor was able to show that some infinite sets do have cardinality greater than o, given 1. We must compare the irrational numbers to the real numbers to achieve this result. 1 0.142678435 2 0.293758778 3 0.383902892 4 0.563856365 : : No mater which matching system we devise we will always be able to come up with another irrational number that has not been listed. We need only to choose a digit different than the first digit of our first number. Our second digit needs only to be different than the second digit of the second number, this can continue infinitely. Our new number will always differ than one already on the list by one digit. This being true we cannot put the natural and irrational numbers in a one-to-one correspondence like we could with the naturals and evens. We now have a set, the irrationals, with a greater cardinality, hence its designation as 1. Georg Cantor did not come up with the concept of infinity, but he was the first to give it more than a cursory glance. Many mathematicians viewed infinity as unbounded growth rather than an attained quantity like Cantor. The traditional view of infinity was something ?increasing above all bounds, but always remaining finite.? Galileo (1564-1642) noticed the peculiarity that any part of a set could contain as many elements as the whole set. Berhard Bolzano (1781-1848) made great advancements in the theory of sets. Bolzano expanded on Galileo's findings and provided more examples of this theme. One of the most respected mathematicians of all time is Karl Friedrich Gauss. Gauss gave this insight on infinity: As to your proof, I must protest most vehemently against your use of the infinite as something consummated, as this is never permitted in mathematics. The infinite is but a figure of speech; an abridged form for the statement that limits exists which certain ratios may approach as closely as we desire, while other magnitudes may be permitted to grow beyond all bounds....No contradictions will arise as long as Finite Man does not mistake the infinite for something fixed, as long as he is not led by an acquired habit of mind to regard the infinite as something bounded.(Burton 590) Cantor, perhaps the true champion of infinity, built off of his predecessors findings. He argued that infinity was in fact ?fixed mathematically by numbers in the definite form of a completed whole.?(Burton 590) Cantor looked to

Free Essays on Delegation Paper

Delegation Paper The managers in my organization delegate responsibilities as part of their job requirements to ensure that orders are being met and that the quality in those products continues to be within standards for the customer. My operations manager sends vital information on to shift supervisors about our customer order situation so they can plan ahead of time when and what action to take on the manufacturing floor. All of this leads to delegation of orders down the chain of command, for example if we have a short lead-time for a product for a more important customer or higher profiting product, they then relay to their shift leaders what to look ahead for in production. The shift supervisors make sure that we have the correct amount of personnel to cover the orders and that there is adequate tools to perform the task at hand. The shift leads then performs the wishes of the supervisors by relaying pertinent information to those employee who have the specific tasks to make the adjustments in their area, the leads also fill in at weak points in production to maintain a continuous flow in the production lines. Delegation is a skill of which we have to use at one point or another, but which few understand. It can be used either as an excuse for dumping failure onto the shoulders of subordinates, or as a dynamic tool for motivating and training our team to realize their full potential. One important step in becoming more productive is to not have everything done by one person. The shift supervisors cant be everywhere at once so he has the shift leads help in the delegation of work to be performed. Delegation allows them to achieve more through the proper selection, assignment, and coordination of tasks and resources. Delegation gives the supervisors and leads an opportunity to handle aspects of the job that no one else can do. These activities might include project planning and project team involvement, coaching and monitori... Free Essays on Delegation Paper Free Essays on Delegation Paper Delegation Paper The managers in my organization delegate responsibilities as part of their job requirements to ensure that orders are being met and that the quality in those products continues to be within standards for the customer. My operations manager sends vital information on to shift supervisors about our customer order situation so they can plan ahead of time when and what action to take on the manufacturing floor. All of this leads to delegation of orders down the chain of command, for example if we have a short lead-time for a product for a more important customer or higher profiting product, they then relay to their shift leaders what to look ahead for in production. The shift supervisors make sure that we have the correct amount of personnel to cover the orders and that there is adequate tools to perform the task at hand. The shift leads then performs the wishes of the supervisors by relaying pertinent information to those employee who have the specific tasks to make the adjustments in their area, the leads also fill in at weak points in production to maintain a continuous flow in the production lines. Delegation is a skill of which we have to use at one point or another, but which few understand. It can be used either as an excuse for dumping failure onto the shoulders of subordinates, or as a dynamic tool for motivating and training our team to realize their full potential. One important step in becoming more productive is to not have everything done by one person. The shift supervisors cant be everywhere at once so he has the shift leads help in the delegation of work to be performed. Delegation allows them to achieve more through the proper selection, assignment, and coordination of tasks and resources. Delegation gives the supervisors and leads an opportunity to handle aspects of the job that no one else can do. These activities might include project planning and project team involvement, coaching and monitori...

Computers as Enhancement to the Early Childhood Learning Environment Essay

Computers as Enhancement to the Early Childhood Learning Environment - Essay Example They can use computers as educational tools rather than just toys for kids. Not only would they satisfy a child's curiosity, but they can guide and supervise the child in doing so. Specht et. al. (2002) conducted a survey in Canadian cities. They sent questionnaires to 196 Canadian educators. They wanted to assess the knowledge that the educators had about computers and what the educators feel about introducing computers in a child's learning environment. Overall, educators thought that the idea was good, and that they needed more knowledge regarding computers. The enhancement of children's learning environment using computers also relies heavily on the type of software that will be installed to the computer. The knowledge of the teachers and the developmental level of the children are also factors in the success of this activity. Computer programs that a child will be exposed to should be chosen with great care. Developmentally appropriate software should be appropriate for the age group. The correct software should be chosen with respect to the typical development stages of children in that age. The software should also be socially and culturally appropriate, which would be based on learning experiences when using the computer. Also, the software should be individually appropriate. ... oftware that can easily be controlled and manipulated by children so that the adults may allow them to use the computer independently which would support learning. Edwards also suggested that instead of containing violent images, the software should provide instructions clearly and should also contain non-violent animation that would capture the child's imagination. Edwards indicated that developmentally appropriate programs should also have a visual message and an auditory direction.Given developmentally appropriate software, a child who uses a computer would develop cognitive skills such as problem solving. When using a computer, a child will also try to focus on what he is doing, and will also try to concentrate. Computers would be a great enhancement to a learning environment. The right software would provide children entertainment while teach them about certain things. Images and sound are effective reinforcements in teaching a concept to a child. Edwards (2006) showed that computers give children the opportunity to take control, that there is actually an active engagement happening when a child is using a computer. When a child learns to use a computer, he may develop his independence. Gian Arnold Catangay, a six year old, knows how to use a computer. Whenever he has time he clicks on the browser and types www.pokemon.com on the address tab. He does this without the help of anyone. Some researchers fear that computers would isolate a child. But inside a classroom, a child who uses a computer may have one friend by his side or a many friends behind him. Children will also practice social skills like sharing and taking turns. Being exposed to a technology such as a computer at such an early age would not only help a child in learning, but

The events industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The events industry - Essay Example For instance, in the current world, the amount for raising and sponsoring events is quite higher compared to the way it was several decades ago. As such, it is important to note that the event industry has been undergoing a dramatic change relevant to several issues touching on demands and interests of the organizers and the intended participants. For instance, in the past days, the costs for conducting such events involving local sports were relatively low (Smith, 2009, 53). This involved people coming, watching games and moving back to their residences. However, currently the costs of such local events have increased tremendously. The local events nowadays employ the use of public address systems as well as media involvements. These contribute towards raising the costs of such events. Events may always originate from different sources involving festivals, public events as well as cultures and traditions (Fenich, 2012, 36). However, it is important to note that events differ in their characteristics. Some events are labor intensive whereas others are perishable. Fixed time scales, uniqueness as well as personal interactions always characterize events. However, it is important to acknowledge the fact that the event industry has been critical in ensuring economic development and growth, societal development as well as conservation of cultures (Baum, 2009, 51). There are several categories and typologies of events. Events can be categorized into six main categories. These include the individual events, group events, organizational as well as multi-organizational events. In addition, other categories may include national events as well as international events. Several typologies of events exist relevant to the different categories. Individual events may comprise of weddings, birthday parties as well as private dinners (Goldblatt, 2011, 53). Group events may involve festivals as well as local

Investigating the Sources and Use of Financial Information in the Essay

Investigating the Sources and Use of Financial Information in the Management of Prison - Essay Example The research proposal is set to investigate the sources and use of financial information in the management of the prison service in England and Wales. Justification There are various sources and uses of financial information in the management of an organization. However, these sources and uses differ from one organization to the other. Financial information is significant to an organization because it assists in rating the performance of the organization. The information also assists in improving financial auditing and management of the organization. Proper management is the key element to the success of any organization. The research is of great importance because it will help the prisons and the government to conduct duties efficiently. Thus, knowing the sources and uses of the financial information will help the government and the prison department in better management of the prison services in England and Wales. Review of Literature The main purpose of the Prison Service in Engla nd and Wales is to offer services to the public by keeping in custody those who have committed crimes; looking after these individuals humanely; and assisting them to lead useful and law-abiding lives during custody and after release. In order to support this purpose, the Prison Service has four objectives: to securely hold the prisoners, to minimize the possibility of prisoner re-offending, to offer well-ordered and safe establishments in which to treat the prisoners decently, lawfully, and humanely, and to offer an effective escort and custody service to criminal courts (Cope 2010, pix). Her Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS) runs 127 prisons and training centres throughout Wales and England. In a number of key areas, all the 127 prisons run independently with no centralized oversight and operations. The prison service lacks a shared system for the management of procurement, human resources, and finances (Hp 2009, p1). Each of the prison maintains its own exclusive financial s ystem. Data tracking, software, and the staff responsible for handling finances and inputting data vary at each location. Thus, HMPS does not have access to the organization wide view of the finances. Therefore, the prison service has found it difficult to measure its performance, enhance financial auditing, and target areas to minimize costs (Hp 2009, p2). In the past few years, HMPS installed an Oracle-based financial system to centralize its financial reporting and accounting, and also to offer a wide and encompassing image of the financial activities of the prison service. This ensures that the personnel from various facilities and departments are conscious of the financial impacts when making decisions. Higher quality data management and improved transparency and a devoted focus of the finance resources on exceptional financial issues have led to the realization of the mentioned benefits (Hp 2009, p7). Improved financial transparency and accessibility of timely and meaningful f inancial data or information across the organization has enhanced decision-making thus, has led to better operational performance (Oracle 2009, p2). The United Kingdom (UK) sector has undergone significant changes in risk management. The UK criminological research on the prisons has not explored the manner in which the general corporate governance and the financial management at various levels of the prison sector, have been

Difference Between Believers And Non Believers Religion Essay

Difference Between Believers And Non Believers Religion Essay According to the Holy Quran, believers are They who turn (to Allah), who serve (Him), who praise (Him), who fast, who bow down, who prostrate themselves, who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and who keep the limits of Allah; and give good news to the believers(Surah At-Tawba: Ayah 112). The Holy Quran further shades light on this; Successful indeed are the believers, Who are humble in their prayers, And who keep aloof from what is vain, And who are givers of poor-rate, And who guard their private parts, Except before their mates or those whom their right hands possess, for they surely are not blamable, But whoever seeks to go beyond that, these are they that exceed the limits; And those who are keepers of their trusts and their covenant, And those who keep a guard on their prayers; These are they who are the heirs, Who shall inherit the Paradise; they shall abide therein.( Surah Al-Muminun : Ayah 1-11). In regards to the Bible, we might generally say that the biggest difference between a believer and a non-believer is the thought process of how a person looks at new information. Believers believe things are true until proven false and non-believers see things as false until proven true. However, we might say the opposite when other subjects are introduced such the Theory of Evolution. So Christians can be guilty of the same accusation. Christians need to present their case to non-believers using mechanisms that do not start with the assumption the Bible is true because it is the Bible. More objective methods that do not use circular reasoning are needed in these forums. Well make far more progress this way. The Bible teaches that in order to be saved you must repent toward God which means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who shed his innocent blood for the forgiveness of all your sins. The Bible teaches that after you are saved you must stand in the true grace of God. (1) According to the Bible those who are saved are redeemed from the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) and are now under the New Covenant and a much higher law: The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The Bible says, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17). If you are led by the Spirit you are not under the Law of Moses:But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.(Gal. 5:18). The law of Moses- as holy and righteous a standard as it is- does not give eternal life because no one is justified by keeping the law: But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.(Gal. 3:11). Paul explained that the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other (walking after the flesh is contrary to walking after the Spirit) so we cannot do the things that we would: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Gal. 5:17). The goals of the flesh (mans selfish desires) are contrary to the goals of the Holy Spirit in a Christians life. The goals of the flesh and the goals of the Holy Spirit are in opposition to each other. The Bible is clear that if the Christian follows the leading of the Holy Spirit he is not under the law, but if he walks after the flesh without repentance, God considers him to be under the law, not under grace. A pressing issue that seems to have controversies worldwide is the issue of charitable giving. Apparently, it is an issue that is debated within religions, between religions, or between believers and non-believers: Are Religious People More Charitable than Non-Believers? The differences in charity between secular and religious people are dramatic. Religious people are 25 percentage points more likely than secularists to donate money (91 percent to 66 percent) and 23 points more likely to volunteer time (67 percent to 44 percent). And, consistent with the findings of other writers, these data show that practicing a religion is more important than the actual religion itself in predicting charitable behavior. For example, among those who attend worship services regularly, 92 percent of Protestants give charitably, compared with 91 percent of Catholics, 91 percent of Jews, and 89 percent from other religions. In the book, Who Really Cares: Americas Charity Divide by Arthur C. Brooks (2006), Brooks cited several studies and surveys that appeared to demonstrate that secular Americans give less to charity than their religious counterparts. He proposed several reasons for these results, namely those secularists are just naturally less generous; that as a largely liberal group they had higher expectations of government welfare programs; and that they lacked a centralized institution such as a church that codified and encouraged giving. However, later critics have pointed out that it is not entirely clear whether the religious are more generous than the non-religious; other studies have shown that the real situation is far murkier. These critics of Brooks analysis were quick to point out that religious charities are usually clearly labeled as such, making it far easier to track the religious affiliations of the givers. Secular charities, by contrast, receive donations from religious and non-religious alike, with no particular distinction being made between the two. This might serve the purpose of concealing charitable giving by secular Americans. Recent efforts to establish pointedly secular charities like the Richard Dawkins-organized Non-Believers Giving Aid have been very successful, but by definition secular charities act very much like secular individuals in being non-discriminating with both their donations and their disbursement. There is some truth to Brooks contention that seculars who tend to lean liberal for the largest part would desire that welfare programs be run more justifiably through government agencies to a certain extent than being left to the whims of private charitable trusts. And as extreme as it sets off, more European secular individuals give far less to charities than their American counterparts. Nevertheless, this is not the complete picture. When the sum Europeans disburse in taxes to finance social programs abroad and at home is taken into consideration, then their charitable philanthropic far outstrips that of Americans. In extremely atheistic Denmark, for instance, the tax coffer contributes to ninety percent to foreign aid, while in the U.S. the figure is merely fifteen percent. Studies of spiritual generosity and belief that focused on non-cash giving established a further interesting result. With respect to donating blood, the religious belief or non-belief of the benefactor made extremely no distinction at all to the regularity or amount donated. equally, a study of American doctors who were prepared to forgo productive medical careers in order to work with the underprivileged in the oversees or the U.S. showed insignificant differences involving the secular and the religious, with 35% of the altruistic doctors self-identified unbeliever, as contrasted to 28% Catholics and 26% Protestants. In additional studies of bigheartedness by means of more restricted methods, no disparity was established between non-religious and religious subjects. occurrences of the dictator game where a single subject is given funds and requested to split it or not with an unidentified other player who knows not anything of the specifics of the deal established religious subjects were no more liberal than their non-religious counterparts; undeniably, a good number people who participated in the game offered the anonymous player half or almost half of the funds, despite of the religious belief or lack thereof. As in the majority of research of this sort, there is a threat of relying too much on peoples self-reporting of their activities, in particular where something as accepted as generous giving is fretful. Some studies, together with one done in 1973, give the impression that the spiritual were more probable to want to be seen as bighearted and consequently more probable to pump up the amount they contributed to charity. Tom Flynn, in a free of charge Inquiry expose, illustrated the self-reporting impasse by referring to the oft-cited statistic that 40% of Americans account to having attended church services in the previous week, then illuminating that when researchers essentially went out to a big sampling of churches and counted attendants, the number was nearer to 20%. He supposes that the accurate inconsistency linking religious and non-religious giving, if any, can by no means be definitively known as long as self-reporting is the major means of data compilation. In the discussion featured in The Great God Debate showcasing atheist Christopher Hitchens and the Jewish Rabbi David Wolpe, similar to many of the encounters involving Hitchens and religious leaders, the argument was fascinating and spirited. This was one issue that came up-and perpetually does in these debates-was the subject of generous giving, and the reality that religious people confer substantially more of their money and time to charity than non believers. despite the fact that Hitchens endeavored to invalidate that allegation by claiming that spiritual charitable giving frequently comes with strings attached-that is as part of some sort of evangelical outreach to win further converts- the basic truth that spiritual people give more is inflexible to refute. Hitches also conversed about the Richard Dawkins Foundations endeavor to raise funds for survivors of the Haitian tremor. In addition, it ought to be understood that the dissimilarity is not only relevant to believers. Also, non believers are equally liberal with their money and time. So whatsoever the reason is, its not a basis specific to one belief. Thus believers cannot justifiably claim that their openhandedness is because of some inherent moral virtue or righteousness of their faith. There ought to be factors at work that are universal to all major spiritual groups. Adding to this, the significance of benevolent giving isnt constrained to one political group or even within a specific religion. Pious liberals are in addition much more probable to contribute money and time to charitable causes than their non-believing counterparts. it is factual that believers typically suppose that the government ought to have a superior role in helping the needy and poor in the world which, in turn, should decrease the need for clandestine donations, except that the belief definitely doesnt impede believers from donating their money and time at the higher rates distinctive of all religious believers, so the grounds why religious people contribute more is small to do with politics. Lastly, after an extended assessment of government wellbeing and how he believes is impairing charitable giving and religious faith, Brooks gets around to tackling the grounds of why devout believers tend to be more bighearted than non-believers. He further points out that it might be that belief simply has a strong didactic control over volunteering and giving. Various places of worship might educate their congr egants the spiritual responsibility to give, and about both the spiritual and physical desires of the poor. Basically, people are more likely to study charity in a synagogue, mosque or church than outside. Its unquestionable that places of worship are highly significant when it comes to bountiful giving. But its to a large extent more than just educating people that they ought to give. First, congregants are not merely taught that it is their just duty to offer, they are frequently told in no doubtful terms that they will be known by their fruits-that if they are certainly authentic to their belief, they will portray it by bequeathing their money and time to laudable causes. This is an enticement beyond and above just telling people that it is the correct thing to do. Next, religious leaders are continuously repeating to their congregants of their spiritual duty to give bigheartedly, mostly in times of crisis (What Laws are Believers Under, 2001,  ¶1-5). For example, how many American pastors agreed up the prospect to sermonize a discourse about the moral conscientiousness of looking after those less fortunate than ourselves in the consequences of Hurricane Katrina? very few just as everyone would wager. And its not just the influential who frequently remind believers about contributions, it is also as a result of peer pressure. Among the parishioners there will for all time be a number of people on the lookout for help with one laudable reason or another. If you are a vigorous affiliate of a religious community, its hard to keep away from all these desires for your money and time. In conclusion, religious institutions hearten charitable donations by putting up the infrastructure that makes philanthropic as painless and as easy as likely. each Sunday in several churches around the globe, an offertory bowl is passed under every congregants nose. In several of those churches, you can even set up a monthly express debit to send your cash from your account to the churchs personal coffers with no lifting a finger. Furthermore as a plus, you get to set aside some money on the taxes as well. There are stands in the churches coffee rooms dealing with Traidcraft goods in assistance to Third World scarcity, as well as tables set up where people can give up their time to help out in the neighborhood. The listing of ways that spiritual institutions assist people contribute their time and money to generous causes is endless (Buzz, 2010,  ¶4). Its also worth remembering that while most organizations charge a membership fee in order to help fund its financial obligations, religious organizations typically do not, and thus all monies collected from members in support of their operations are classed as charity, thus greatly boosting the overall amount religious people donate. Compare all that with the experience of the non-believer. There is little question that the vast majority of non-religious people believe that charitable giving is a good and moral thing to do. Even without access to a vast religious infrastructure to help them, two-thirds of all non-believers still donate money to charity on a regular basis. So why dont non-believers donate as much or as often? Simply put, they lack the same motivations and opportunities that religious people have. Non-believers do not have their moral duty to give to charity preached at fifty-two Sundays a year. They do not have a collection plate waved in their face every week reminding them of their obligation to make a donation. They do not typically frequent places where large on-going efforts to raise money for charity are underway, and they usually only have their consciences stirred when some great tragedy hits the news headlines-like the Ethiopian famines, Hurricane Katrina, or the Haitian earthquake. So I dont think that it is at all surprising that non-religious people give less of their time and money to charity. But its not because non-believers are intrinsically less moral in any way, its simply because they lack the same obligations, encouragement, and outlets that religious people have. Ashford (2010), points out an excellent proposition on this issue that if aid is indeed a cultured behavior, it may be that houses of devotion are only meant to teach it. Secularists concerned in increasing benevolent volunteering and giving among their ranks might expend some effort opinionating on alternative ways to foster these habits. It at all there exists hope, then it would be in efforts to give many more people a taste of what its like to donate ones time to charitable works. Study after study have shown that engaging in regular volunteer work can be a great benefit to ones mental and physical health. It doesnt matter if the volunteerism is conducted through a religious institution or not, almost everyone who tries it, even for a short time, begins to experience those personal benefits first hand, making it more likely that they would want to persist doing it on a customary basis ( ¶5-8). Basically, individuals must come together in the public and decide how communal wealth will be allocated as well as how actions will be governed.   These opinionated questions bring both nonbelievers and believers together and force interaction among them.   It is not good enough for believers and nonbelievers to twist their backs on one other when real-life sensible matters are at risk.   Providentially, there is a lot of universal ground accessible between believers and nonbelievers to tackle practical problems. So there are various ways to hearten charitable giving as well as instill good habits beyond the auspices of spiritual groups, despite the fact that I do not underrate the scale of the duty of matching the altruistic work performed and encouraged through religious institutions. The most important aspect to keep in mind is that there is nothing supernatural or mystical regarding the generosity of religious people. It is purely an end product of indoctrination, facilita tion, promotion as well as education facilitated by the various religious institutions they belong to.

Commedia dellarte Essay -- Art

Commedia dell'arte Commedia dell'arte is a truly popular form of theatre - of the people, by the people, for the people. Discuss this statement with specific examples of Commedia dell'arte scenarios, stock characters, performance features and circumstances. Commedia dell'arte is definitely an artform centred on people and their world. Although its origins are hazy due to the illiteracy of its first performers and audience, it is believed to have stemmed from the carnivals in Italy during the sixteenth century. Here it rose from the people from folk theatre, which used masks and music, and from the charlatans using pretence as a means of earning money. The scenarios involved in Commedia arose from the thematic concerns the form had. It was mainly concerned with examining the human condition via satire. Therfore, the canovaccios were filled with driving themes such as food, drink, sex, love, money and vengence. The artists created the scenarios to fit into the peoples living conditions as a safety valve. They could laugh at their situation on stage, making their conditions a little more bearable. In this way, Commedia was designed by troupes, simply the Italian public, for their audience and the people. Stock characters came from the people in that they were often satirizations of them. Ill Dottore, an expert on everything who could talk unendingly, was a satirization of the bolognese academics. Ill Capitano was a satirization of invaders of Italy, partic...

Psy-Trance in the Realm of Disco Essay

Admittedly so, being myself no less a stranger than a fan of the latent psychedelic rave culture of the last decade, with its steady pounding trance-inducing techno-grove, I was altogether rather curious to discover just what kind of a picture that Richard Dryer had to present in his famous essay (Dryer, 1979). For years, before they lost most of their covert appeal, stealing away to a Rave was somewhat popular for my generation; at least in the places where I grew up. So there was just something exciting to me, anticipating what he was about to relate of this earlier pop culture often rumored to share the same DNA of the psy-trance music of today’s Technocratic Age. It seems as if disco, understandably at its time a more readily accessible form of escapism had also quickly spread to far off distant lands overseas. It was probably the anticipation of some new and exotic twist that I was about to discover of the past that suddenly had my head inadvertently bobbing back and forth to some memorable however invisible beat. It seems to happen almost instinctually that way. Somehow, even before I turned the first page, my mind wandered to that pounding ecstasy-driven scene at the very beginning of the movie Blade, 1 where the music intense as it is drives the scene so powerfully that you just cannot stand still. There is just slightest sense of horror though, because everybody including the audience knows the inevitable; except that careless fool who has allowed lust to direct him into a den of vampires. The strobe lights pierce the atmosphere bouncing off the ceiling and all over the walls; forcing a familiar rush of anxiety. Soon, he is set to become their latest entree. It’s that environment of undisputable cool, the fashion, and the excitement that I love, but you can keep the blood. Dyer employs the analysis of a socialist and goes to great lengths to dissuade any notions that disco is just some crude form of capitalist production. He then launches into his narrative charging disco with three distinct characteristics: egotism – romanticism – and materialism. Although he somewhat claims that his argument is not as simple as capitalism is evil, in time you get the sense that Dyer really believes that all music is created with some measure of subversive super-sexual intent in mind. Disco he calls â€Å"naked eroticism† (Ibid). However, he sees it in a better light than the simple patriarchal rhythms of rock and roll, — â€Å"rock’s eroticism is thrusting, grinding – it is not whole body, but phallic†¦ even when preformed by women – rock remains indelibly phallocentric music† (Ibid). The movement and the culture which would grow up around this musical genre are shown in light of a powerful force that would ultimately come to influence the future of gay politics in the United States. Suddenly, I had found that unexpected nuance from out of disco’s past that I was searching for. In the end, he states his case. Disco he believes has an ability to celebrate the intensity of romantic adoration and the lament of being let down at the same time. It is the tension between the two that he seems to be reaching for. All that I know, is that when I used to hit those clubs late at night, I just wanted to dance. If Dyer seems to take a hatchet to this subject, in Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied): Repetitive Musics and Recombinant Desires, Susan McClary employs a scalpel. However, her unique intellectual dexterity makes her tool that much more devastating. She neatly deconstructs old arguments that she seems to believe were built upon over-wrought modalities of Western tradition; that have today simply gone astray. Disco is placed along the side of other â€Å"repetition-driven [pursuits] of ecstasy(p7)† along with the avant-garde minimalist schools of thought coming out of the 1960’s. 2 McClary dives into a narrative that focuses upon stripping away illusions. She gives us a nice panoramic view of the minimalist history and the creative motives that evolved into the psy-trance music that became known as disco. At the heart of her prolonged study is a reliance upon what she calls an â€Å"analytical argument (p7) †¦ built around an in-dept comparison of form and process in Steve Reich’s Music for Eighteen Musicians (1999) and Donna Summers [and Moroder’s] Love to Love You Baby (1975). She naturally rejects the argument that disco is solely a minimalist form which is inherently non-teleological (without design or purpose). This may appear to be a neat stretch for those in the know. But, I was just happy to be along for the ride. As with Dyer, McClary argues against â€Å"traditional hierarchies of musical value† (p9). To her, Reich is the minimalist reaching for the edges of a musical trance-like state, and Summer is the erotic practitioner who belts out a classic vamp that surprisingly simulates an amazing 22 orgasms (p11). At last, she reaches just that much closer to what I have come to believe that the great body of psy-trance music is really all about; even thought she quickly abandons it. However, it is here that she poses her most salient point: â€Å"Teleological music’s ‘climax mechanism’ is akin to the [Western male] orgasm; teleology is thus the drive to orgasm; banishing teleology must mean banishing orgasm. Minimal music is anti-teleological, and is thus akin to trantric [‘Oriental’] sex, where the ability to put the [male] body into orgasm-defying stasis even as it engages in what for most humans is the most goal-directed activity imaginable is the sign of profound yogic accomplishment†(p12) Both of these authors seem to be seeking the same thing; just going about it in their own separate way. Yet, they both seem to miss the point as far as I am concerned because the aim of this psy-trance music is the same wherever it may be found. It is the search for that endless climatic moment that leads to a higher spiritual purpose. This same search for heavenly escapism can be found in many of the native Indian dance rituals that can be found right here in America. Even thought this spiritual quest has so often been obscured by the popular use of hallucinogenic drugs, still the psychedelic-techno music, the dark covert meeting places, and the strict social boundaries often found together in the mix wherever this type of pure eroticism abounds; all of it has a purpose. Even when the ‘raves’ were popular just a few years ago, still it seemed that even this generation could find some higher meaning in the heat of the dance. The pounding repetitious beat that always seemed to somehow naturally marshal the entire crowd into a circle; why does this always seem to happen? It is all a part of that necessary escapism just like that which draws thousands of young Israeli men to travel each winter far away from their homes and to a place called Goa in southern India. They are called Goa freaks (Saldanha, 2006), because they live a solitary existence almost like zombies forever strung out on ecstasy. However, it is the abandonment to the music that draws them there in order to find a solitary refuge, while being seduced into a trance-state that perhaps will help them to forget the anguish of their shattered lives.

Why think essays

Why think essays Uniqueness is a personal quality many people strive for. It is defined in the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary as: being without a like or equal. One can acquire this quality by thinking. When one thinks they express their opinions, ideas, intentions, expectations, judgments, conceptions, or reflections about anything possible. Without thinking people would just do anything that came into their minds without weighing the positives or negatives in effect maybe even causing harm to others. It would be so much easier to brainwash a person because one knows that they are not going to have an opinion and just concur. This is what has been happening in society and it has taken over. People are not necessarily thinking for us but they are influencing our judgments. This is why it is necessary to think and express our thoughts it is not only wise for the individual but for the well being of society. Many believe that when thinking is permitted into the wrong hands or to people who dont hav e the mental capabilities to judge good from bad it will ruin society. They believe there should be an overlying heavy force controlling our thoughts to protect mankind. A philosopher by the name of Jean-Jacques Rousseau believes that the general will can only be truly effective if each citizen expresses only his own opinion (Cahn 431). Karl Marx also believes that without thinking thoroughly we would be losing ourselves. The brain is the most powerful part of our body. It controls when we eat, sleep, wake, and all other life activities. It is the boss of our body. Without the brain we would all be the same. Wed be lifeless bodies and there would be nothing that would differentiate us from the next person except for physical appearance. The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum. It makes up 85 percent of the brain and is in charge of thinking. This is the one difference between human beings and animals...

The Communication Barriers You Put In Front Of Your Readers

The Communication Barriers You Put In Front Of Your Readers Without being aware of it, you are building communication barriers that make it impossible for your readers to enjoy what youve written. Blogging advice such as just write or write regularly isnt bad advice to get someone going with content marketing, but it is only the starting line. As you keep blogging, you start to pick up an understanding of the other considerations for your writing that go beyond merely writing regularly. Regular content creation doesnt do you any good if youre creating communication barriers that your readers arent able to get past. Five posts a week that dont get read are worse than one post a week that does.  What communication barriers are you creating in front of your reader that might cause this? What causes people to not read what youve written? You Prefer The Clever And Obscure Your goal is clarity, not cleverness. Its hard to resist the urge to be clever, because it feels creative, edgy, different.  But readers want clarity.  Being clever for the sake of being clever is something only you enjoy, and not your readers.  Readers want unique, original, fresh, exciting–but too often clever veers from this and is more about you showing how witty you are. Readers dont want clever, because most of the time clever is confusing.  Readers dont want to feel dumb and unintelligent. They dont want to feel like that third person in a conversation who is missing out on all the inside jokes. They dont want to feel as if you are writing to exclude when they dont understand your jargon, your metaphors, or your references to pop culture that you assumed everyone knows. This avoidance of cleverness seems counter-intuitive when we are told to grab onto on trends as a method to get traffic.  Capitalize on trends, yes, but use them wisely. Provide explanations and context, without assuming your readers know what you are talking about. Understand that clever trend-based content is not evergreen and has a short shelf life. Your goal in writing is one of clarity, not cleverness. Readers want to understand what you write.A recent example of assuming readers would understand trends involved the infamous  Richard Sherman interview  (following the Seahawks victory over the 49ers). Blogs began using that incident as fodder for their post headlines and content. Dont Go All Richard Sherman On Your Readers the headlines said, or Why The Richard Sherman Method Of Content Marketing Doesnt Work. Maybe youre not from the U.S.A. Maybe you dont follow the NFL. Or maybe youre like me who didnt know who Sherman was, didnt see the interview, wasnt online for a few days when it happened, and was confused by the sudden influx of Richard Sherman-themed blog posts in my RSS reader.  I didnt read a single Sherman-themed blog post. I had no idea who they were talking about, and figured it wasnt a post meant for me. Capitalize on the trend. Use the obscure reference if you need to. But always provide a brief explanation or a link to where the reference is explained. If your post relies heavily on your reference being understood, youd do best to explain it up front and set the stage or just accept the gamble youre making on who will get it. The drive to use overly obscure or overly trendy references leads to the next communication barrier: proving how smart you are. You Have To Prove How Smart You Are You may be smart, but your reader doesnt want to feel stupid. What you are trying to do with your content is communicate with your reader so they understand what you want them to understand. You are not writing to impress them. You are writing to empower them, so they leave feeling like the know something new. If you are writing to impress people, stop writing and leave the room. Not a single person there likes you. Writing that is meant to impress people, to show them how smart and talented and wonderful you are, how many amazing things youve done, how cool you might be, how traveled and enlightened you are, is tedious and often preachy. Its the content marketing equivalent of the braggart who makes everyone look at his vacation photos. It is similar to the Dilbert cartoon character known as the Topper, a fellow who always has to be the best of everything. You are writing to teach, to inspire, to make laugh, to encourage, to help. You are not writing to build yourself up or make others feel less about themselves. If you cant explain it to a six year old, you dont understand it yourself. Albert Einstein If you write to impress, no one will read. People want you to help them, not help yourself. You Confuse Personal With Self-Indulgent Ive seen several blog posts which list self-indulgence as a reason readers dont stick with you, and thats true. We just talked about how you should not seek to impress people. However, the admonition that readers dont care about you or your life, and are only interested in whats in it for them, is not exactly true. Its all about how you go about using your own experiences. In some cases, your personal experiences and personal story are part of whats in it for them, if you handle it right. People are asking whats in it for them, but they will listen to you use personal experiences if they can get there through the path you already took. People want to know, from you, that: They are not the only ones with this problem. They are not the only ones who feel this way. They are not the only ones who find something funny/sad/angering/scary. That someone like them found a way out, a solution. That someone like them found success. That someone is listening to them. Your personal experience and life examples can encourage readers that they are not alone, not abnormal, that the things they struggle with are valid and that they can still succeed. Self-indulgent is writing about yourself and bragging. Being personal is writing to connect with another person and help them solve problems. Being personal is always acceptable. You Mistake Informality For Crudeness Content that is conversational feels more human. Ive appreciated the conversational approach to content over the years, and I dont mind slang or even a swear word here or there. There is power in language, and a linguistic slap in the face once in a while is a necessary jolt. Unfortunately,  the idea of friendly, casual, and conversational language has become fairly crude. Casual and informal conversation doesnt have to mean crude. #BetterBloggingThis is a sensitive suggestion to make. Opinions vary on whether this is bad, whether its powerful, whether its all about keeping it real, or whether its judgmental. Regardless, I suggest thinking long and hard about how you write when it comes to trying to be informal and using crude language. Perhaps that is how your conversations go, and that is how the people around you communicate, or that is how the other bloggers in your niche talk. Maybe you dont care if people leave your list because you didnt want such sensitive, easily offended people anyway. Fair enough. But lets be honest about why youre doing it: 1. You think by being shocking, youll stand out from the huge crowd. More than once, Ive just left a blog post which, had all of the unnecessary crude words been removed, would have been quite good. After a while those words lose their shock impact and start to serve as little more than an exercise in unnecessary adjectives that should be cut for the sake of tight writing. Reading such posts goes beyond Im offended!! and into this person cant write. Unfortunately, this kind of shock is short-lived, and readers who stuck around are quickly desensitized to the language, no longer seeing it, and you are left right where you started. And, youve lost the ability to shock them, which is something that could have been used once in a while for worthwhile effect. 2. You have a weak idea and are trying to hide it behind shocking language. Ive been the writer in this scenario, and it feels very powerful to just throw it all in a blog post, especially a rant, and think youve written something powerful, but crude language often shows up because we dont actually have a strong idea with facts or ideas that matter and were trying to hide that flaw in our post. Some writers, it seems, want to create a controversial blog post not through challenging topics or ideas, but through a surface treatment of language. Shocking language seems like a good way to spice up a dead post, get noticed, get debate going, or hide the weakness in an idea. The reader is so taken off-guard by language that the paltry idea isnt even noticed at first. You Dont Rage Against The Expected It is very difficult to write something new and unexpected that no one ever has written, and do this three or four times a week. I know this. Sometimes I pull it off, but sometimes I put my best into a post, shake my head, and just accept that while it was a good post, it wasnt all that unique and that Ill try again the next time. You should want to be unique for your readers sake, not just to stand out from the crowd.  Your reader is tired of the same stuff. There is no shortage of blog posts with similar titles promising all kinds of things that get readers to check them out but, sadly, upon reading, have the same tired points and conclusions.  The internet is replete with blogs full of promises, exclusives, secrets, and schemes vying for your attention. How disappointing for readers to arrive at a much ballyhooed destination to find nuthin new.

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Health Care Provider and Faith Diversity - Essay Example This paper will try to explore through an interview of three nurses with different religious sects in order to understand differences and similarities in spiritual healing practices, as well as how to incorporate them despite the diversity of religious beliefs in the health care setting. (1) What is your spiritual perspective on healing? In an interview with a Sikh nurse, she shared that their soul unites with their god. They believe in reincarnation so that healing is not limited to the physical aspect, but more importantly, spiritual healing of which a dead body will reincarnate into a greater being once they have overcome the obstacles of lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. They believe in meditating on the Waheguru or holy name, that they must be diligent and honest in their work, and share the fruit if their labor based on the principles of truth, equality, karma, freedom and justice. For the Buddhist nurse, spiritual healing meant a refuge in the triple gem of the Buddha or enlightened one, the teachings or Dharma, and the community or Sangha. They practice meditation and mindful of others and their environment through cultivation of higher wisdom and understanding. They also invoke their buddhas and bodhisatvas to achieve healing. The Shinto nurse I interviewed said they also believe in spirits they call as â€Å"kami† of which Shinto also is known as â€Å"kami-no-michi†. The spirit and the body are one although even inanimate objects are believed to be inhabited by kami. In achieving spiritual healing, the Shinto practice purification ceremonies called harae or harai, divination, shamanic or third-party healing, and the spirit possession. These are influenced by Buddhism and Taoism or Confucianism traditions. (2) What are the critical components of healing, such as prayer, meditation, belief, etc? For the Sikh and Buddhist, meditation is a vital part of their spiritualism, while the Shinto offer prayers, food, or others in their purif ication ceremonies. In addition, it is part of the Sikh and Buddhist’s spiritual life to maintain harmonious relationship with their fellow beings and their environs. The Shinto on the other hand use ema of which to write their wishes then left at shrine grounds, believe in talisman or ofuda, and the amulet omamori for better health. (3) What is important to people of a particular faith when cared for by health care providers whose spiritual beliefs differ from their own? The hospital and clinic settings have evolved as such that of cosmopolitan structures where various cultures merge. For patients and health care providers, diversity has been accepted if not continuously being promoted. Religious differences are respected but due to the high possibility of difference between the care provider and the patient, spiritual activity is hardly discussed or encouraged by care providers (McLaren, 2004). It is a given that majority of care providers may be Christians who believe in p raying to their God for spiritual and physical healing. This may pose a difficulty for non-Christian believing patients, and therefore, a lack of spiritual assistance may occur. However, as mentioned earlier, diversity calls for respect and acceptance of other faiths, beliefs, culture and tradition of fellow humans in daily encounters such as in a hospital setting. This is most important

Armed Conflict and International Humanitarianism Essay

Armed Conflict and International Humanitarianism - Essay Example The intervention works with or without the use of force, with or without support from the local population and even with or without legal ambiguities. However, it is my firm belief that without a cultural understanding of conflict and the culture of the people involved in the conflict, no intervention or humanitarian action can be completely successful. Since the age of traditional war as history has known it to be has more or less ended with the devastating terrorist attacks of 9/11, the war against terrorism has also created situations where humanitarian aid may be required after both the terrorists and the alliance forces have left the region (Akhavi, 2003). The case of Afghanistan is a prime example where humanitarian aid is desperately required after the country has seen both the ravages of the Taliban and the carpet bombers from America. However, the area still remains a conflict zone and must be treated as such. This also means that conflict must be understood in a cultural context since the reaction, acceptance and acts performed in a conflict zone certainly change from culture to culture (Ehrenreich, 1998). A generation of Afghanis has grown up without knowing a place to call home and have lived with conflict as a part of their lives (Akhavi, 2003). On the other hand, a humanitarian aid worker from Denmark may have a completely different view about both war and humanitarian aid. It has been accepted by both active soldiers and humanitarian workers that an understanding of culture is essential for conducting any operation in a given environment. However, the need for understanding culture and how the conflict is viewed in a cultural context is even more pressing when the humanitarian work has to be done in an area which is considered to be a combat zone. Moreover, the nature of humanitarian work has broadened enough to the point where the battle for ‘hearts and minds’ does not have to be fought by those wearing red