Aylitical critique of Post cold war philosophers Fukuyama essays

Aylitical critique of Post cold war philosophers Fukuyama essays The cold war was a time of political and economic insecurities. It was not a battle in the sense of bloodshed but a battle purely of political ideology. It was a battle of political ideas which involved blocs and mini wars fought by the Soviet Unions allies rather than themselves. The United States was politically opposed to a communist ideology and communist influence on third world or less developed countries. These tensions began as early as World War 1, due to the Russians pulling out of the war, and continued to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a democratic change took over. This time period is considered to be the end of the cold war. There were many articles with differing opinions written at this time. No articles were more notable and risky than Francis Fukuyamas The End of History. Fukuyama stated that history had come to an end in a sense to the emergence of a strong and unbreakable form of western liberal democracy. Fukuyamas ideas will be challenged and also better explained in the following years by other Political Scientists and philosophers such as Huntington, Barber and Sakakibara as just a few to mention. Though Fukuyama has many valid points his article is based purely on speculation. His ideas and Philosophies were so brash and new that he took much criticism but yet still opened up a whole new debate on the future of international politics. The cold war was just at its end. The Soviet Union and communism as a whole was in a bit of a retreat stage. The cold war was beginning to be viewed as the past and liberalism was beginning to be seen as the prevailing and stronger political ideology. The future as with all political struggles was still unsure. Fukuyama boldly stated that liberal democracy will not be superseded by a better or higher form of government. Large ideological battles and debates would be a thing of the past and this would also bring to an end large confli...

St. Albert the Great Quotes

St. Albert the Great Quotes Known as Doctor Universalis (Universal Doctor) for the extraordinary depth of his knowledge and learning, Albertus Magnus wrote extensively on numerous subjects. Here are some words of ​wisdom  from a variety of his writings, as well as quotations that have been attributed to him. St. Albert the Great Quotes The aim of natural science is not simply to accept the statements of others, but to investigate the causes that are at work in nature. De Mineralibus (On Minerals) The beaver is an animal which has feet like those of a goose for swimming and front teeth like a dog, since it frequently walks on land. It is called the castor from castration, but not because it castrates itself as Isidore says, but because it is especially sought for castration purposes. As has been ascertained frequently in our regions, it is false that when it is bothered by a hunter, it castrates itself with its teeth and hurls its musk  away and that if one has been castrated on another occasion by a hunter, it raises itself up and shows that it lacks its musk. De Animalibus (On Animals). The Isidore Albertus refers to is Isidore of Seville, who wrote an encyclopedia that included descriptions of many animals, both real and fabulous. Do there exist many worlds, or is there but a single world? This is one of the most noble and exalted questions in the study of Nature. Attributed He took over anger to intimidate subordinates, and in time anger took over him. Attributed I shall not conceal a science that was before me revealed by the grace of God; I shall not keep it to myself, for being afraid of attracting its curse. What worth is a concealed science; what worth is a hidden treasure? The science I have learned without fiction I transmit with no regret. Envy upsets everything; an envious man cannot be fair before God. Every science and knowledge proceeds from God. Saying it proceeds from the Holy Ghost is a simple way of expressing oneself. No one can thus say Our Lord Jesus Christ without implying Son of God our Father, by work and grace of the Holy Ghost. In the same manner, this science cannot be separated from the One who has communicated it unto me. The Compound of Compounds. The science Albertus is talking about is alchemy. In studying nature we have not to inquire how God the Creator may, as He freely wills, use His creatures to work miracles and thereby show forth His power; we have rather to inquire what Nature with its immanent causes can naturally bring to pass. De Vegetabilibus (On Vegetation) Nature must be the foundation and model of science; thus Art works according to Nature in everything it can. Therefore, it is necessary that the Artist follows Nature and operates according to her. The Compound of Compounds Now it must be asked if we can comprehend why comets signify the death of magnates and coming wars, for writers of philosophy say so. The reason is not apparent, since vapor no more rises in a land where a pauper lives than where a rich man resides, whether he be king or someone else. Furthermore, it is evident that a comet has a natural cause not dependent on anything else; so it seems that it has no relation to someones death or to war. For if it be said that it does relate to war or someones death, either it does so as a cause or effect or sign. De Cometis (On Comets) The second great wisdom ... is the science of the judgments of the stars, which provides a link between natural philosophy and metaphysics ... No human science attains this ordering of the universe as perfectly as the judgment of the stars does. Speculum Astronomiae (The Mirror of Astronomy) This dumb ox will fill the world with his bellowing. Attributed. The quote was supposedly in response to students calling Thomas Aquinas a dumb ox because he tended to stay so quiet. To say that there is a soul in stones simply in order to account for their production is unsatisfactory: for their production is not like the reproduction of living plants, and of animals which have senses. For all these we see reproducing their own species from their own seeds; and a stone does not do this at all. We never see stones reproduced from stones ... because a stone seems to have no reproductive power at all. De Mineralibus Whoever believes that Aristotle was a god, must also believe that he never erred. But if one believes that Aristotle was a man, then doubtless he was liable to error just as we are. Physica

PURE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PURE - Essay Example Even demand was increasing for raw foods, those that were thermally processed at 120 degrees, which is representative of the planet’s ambient temperature, which was said to aid in digestion, sustain natural healthy bacteria levels, and ensure maximum nutritional content. The main objective was to establish an eatery that would have market-centric relevance, especially in relation to food availability on the menu and the internal decor. Utilizing a naturalistic environment consisting of woods, natural greenery, and a variety of displayed vegan and raw products, Graham and Buob wanted to create legitimate relationships with customers that valued these naturalistic elements supported through knowledge exchanges with consumers in an eco-sustainable environment. By promoting an environment where vegan and natural foods consumption lifestyles could merge with ownership and staff, the objective was to create a revolutionary type of restaurant that could cater to this expanding market niche. The Main Problems at Pure Problems with the foods regulatory environment posed reputational risks for the variety of products that were procured by Pure. The United States Department of Agriculture allowed or five percent of an organic product’s attributes to contain non-organic materials. ... This meant that Pure might not be able to promote products to a holistic niche market since they maintained no control over procurement regulations and would likely not gain the attention of mainstream consumers either. Pure also had to promote a higher pricing model due to the high costs of procurement for organic and vegan products along the supply chain. Mainstream consumers were more attracted to fast food products and packaged/processed foods due to their lower pricing structure. The competitive environment provides many different lower-priced restaurants which would be a hindrance in attempting to appeal to the price-sensitive consumer market segments. Coupled with a mainstream sentiment that vegan and organic products are tasteless and boring related to flavor, it would be very difficult for Pure to attempt to market to the majority of consumer segments, thus being forced to cater to only the niche market segments that legitimately valued natural foods. Furthermore, the growth of availability of organic products at regional grocery stores represented a credible threat of substitutes on the market. Pure was unsure about how the ownership would effectively promote the motivation for dining out to consume natural products when grocery stores made these products widely available, especially important in a market with only 17,000 residents making an average of just under $22,000 annually; below the provincial earnings average. A market environment that is limited in terms of available consumers with legitimate resource restrictions posed a significant threat to the high price model necessary for Pure to remain profitable. These restrictions, coupled with the cultural characteristics in Collingwood to enjoy recreational activities that made

A Personal Assessment Using Self-Assessment Inventories Essay

A Personal Assessment Using Self-Assessment Inventories - Essay Example It is better to accept those differences and use them towards my advantage (i.e. in coming up with better solution to problems) instead of imposing a rigid code of conduct. People with low tolerance to ambiguity also tend to make use of stereotypy, which I think is a negative way of analyzing people, ideas, or actions. My scores in the subscales reveal that the major source of intolerance for me is complexity, which is by far greater than my scores for novelty and insolubility. I do not fully agree with this result because I feel that I am comfortable with complexity. I feel the results for this subscale cannot be applied to all situations in my life as a formula, but I am not discounting the possibility that this may only mean that I am just less tolerant to ambiguity when the situation seems to be composed of elaborate and intricately interconnected parts. The Locus of Control test shows whether I believe the outcomes of my actions depend on what I do or on factors beyond my control. Since I got a low score (and indeed, it is even lower than the comparison data), this indicates that I have an internal rather than external control. I agree with this explanation and the test has been instrumental in making me realize that my attitude towards the forces responsible for the outcomes of my actions has been responsible for many of successes (as well as failures) in my life. I believe that blaming people other than yourself for your miseries is not only self-defeating, it hinders you to succeed and take control of your life. While I think luck does play some part on some people's success, I am not the type to sit around and wait for Lady Luck to call. I believe that the best way to succeed is to work for it-that way too, I can have control over the direction of my life. I believe that this attitude will lead me to become happier and more ful filled. Cognitive Styles The Cognitive Styles test has affirmed that I am an intuitive rather than a sensing person. My Intuition scores far outweigh that of my Sensation's, 7 to 1. This explains why I seem to prefer subjects that require complex and comprehensive understanding rather than those that appeal to the senses. I prefer to take in information through imagination rather than by details and facts. When perceiving my environment and gathering information, I prefer to explore different possibilities, rather than settle on a concrete set of rules. I now realize that this is the reason why I tend to do better in essay-type examinations rather than multiple choice/fill-in-the-blank type ones. I am also adept in finding symbolic representations in my surroundings-sometimes when I am walking my dog in the park, I will suddenly be struck with a sense of nostalgia-a single falling leaf can conjure poetic imagery in my mind. As to whether I am a thinking or feeling person, my test scores tied in both areas. Since I am male (and am therefore traditionally predisposed to being a thinker rather than a feeler), results suggest that I am more of a "feeler". I concur with this conclusion mainly because I feel that I am more in touch with my emotions than the average man. While it can

Death of a Salesman and Fences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death of a Salesman and Fences - Essay Example There indeed is a highly valid reason for stating so. In both the plays, these characters, Willy in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† and Troy of â€Å"Fences† have negative shades, for they not just are obsessed with the past at the cost of neglecting the present, but they (father characters) also share a highly hostile relationship with their respective sons. It is not just that; both Willy and Troy denote as being impediments in terms of the goals of their sons. (1) In fact, in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† Willy’s obsession with the past is so high that he reaches the stage where, he is unable to draw a line between reality and fantasy. Perhaps, the most prominent common feature of the characters (of fathers) is that, both do not have a respectable position in the society. (1) After that, it indeed would be worthwhile in having a look at the characters of sons: Biff in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† and Cory in â€Å"Fences†. As mentioned earlier, both Biff and Cory are the victims of the day-dreaming of their respective fathers. It also has to be noted that, solely because of the false approach adopted by Willy and Troy, even Biff and Cory have been subjected to severe mental conflict. As a matter of fact, Biff is redeemed of this mental turmoil only after he musters the needed courage to rebel against Willy’s dominant approach. However, it is observed that, notwithstanding all the unpleasant experiences, Biff still has a soft corner for his father. This is evident from the words that he speaks at the funeral of his father â€Å"there were a lot of nice days†. Also, Biff adds that the intentions of Willy were good, and it is just that the dreams were erroneous. (1) When the play â€Å"Fences† is taken, the unpleasant relationship shared by Cory with his father is clear by the words spoken by the former â€Å"You ain't never gave me nothing! You ain't never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna b e better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you.† Cory is aware that, apart from creating fear in his mind, Troy has done nothing else for him! Despite the fact that Cory has lot of talent for playing baseball, Troy never permits him to make a mark for himself in this game. And similar to â€Å"Death of a Salesman† even in â€Å"Fences† the son gets his total freedom only after his father’s death. (1) When the characters of the sons are considered in both the plays, one surely notes a key difference. In the play â€Å"Death of a Salesman† Biff thinks about his father in a positive manner, after the latter’s death. But when â€Å"Fences† is considered, Cory expresses no such sentiments. On the contrary, it is seen that he is highly reluctant to even attend the funeral. Owing to these points, it can conveniently be inferred that, when both Willy and Troy are compared, it is only the former who is having at least a f ew positives. That is why his son was able to pay respects at the funeral. On the other hand, Cory has nothing but utter dislike for his father. (1) Now, the focus needs to shift on to examining the characters of Linda, wife of Willy, and Rose, the spouse of Troy. To begin with, it has to be stated that Willy and Troy do not have a sound relationship not only with the sons, but also with their respective spouses. Also, both of them (Willy and Troy) indulge in adultery. In â€Å"Death of a Salesman† though Linda is unaware about the extra-marital affair of her husband, yet; his adulterous acts tell upon their relationship. This can be understood by an example. When Willy

Environment Primary Factor That Influences Plant Growth Development Biology Essay

Environment Primary Factor That Influences Plant Growth Development Biology Essay Although there is no doubt that the world population grows up in more gradual way every year, demanding more food than any other time before, Environment is the primary factor that influences the plant growth and development and has also the greatest effect on the crop distribution on the earth. In this ten page report, the most important environmental factors that affect the crop growth and development namely light, water, temperature and carbon dioxide are covered, emphasizing their influences on crop productivity. Moreover light as the most environmental factor importance on crop production and productivity, all light quality, quantity and duration effect directly on crop yields, also in most cases plant reactions and processes are greatly influences by the temperature, plants key process affected by temperature is photosynthesis followed by germination, transpiration, respiration and flowering. However, crop temperature requirements in a specific physical, chemical or biochemical process varies from one spice to another resulting difference among crops in their geographical distribution. On the other hand, water and humidity play an important role for the crop productivity since most plants need 90% water content to grow effective and efficiency way until some crops like rice demand flooding the area to grow properly. In addition to the plant water needs, plants are number one consumers of carbon dioxide on the earth so as to synthesize food and energy. Each of these factors were discussed in this report emphasizing and giving more detailed look on their effect on crop productivity. Light Why solar energy is important to a successful plant growth, development and improvements to its yields? On the planet life is mostly solar-powered, sun is the only natural source of light energy, all the living organisms depend on the amount of light energy (solar radiation produced by the sun) harvested by green plants at any level of ecosystem, only few types of bacteria can derive the energy they require from sulfur and other inorganic chemical compounds or substances. Photosynthesis which is the process that the plants manufacture their food molecules from carbon dioxide and water by using the sun light, therefore the rate of duration of photosynthetic activities directly effects the amount of dry matter produced by the plant, and energy harvested as crop yields to transfer energy from primary producers to the other components of the ecosystem which are the consumers, so the ultimate source of food in the globe is the green plant, because plants have the ability to harvest and ut ilize the sun light manufacturing a usable food after three main consecutive processes during plants photosynthetic activities. Photosynthesis The management of that resources available to the production, that the crop requires to grow and develop and show its potential genetic characteristics as much as possible is a major factor that contribute the dramatic rise of the crop production, only organisms/plants that contain a certain pigment called chlorophyll which is the most abundant enzyme/protein on the earth are capable to utilize solar energy directly. It is therefore; light is an important factor to produce energy by the plants and the energy produced will be supplied to the different levels of the ecosystem. The light influence on the plant development and productivity can be discussed into three main categories. Quality of light The intensity of light and its concentration are what decide the quality of light; light densities differ from one season to another, countries that have three or four seasons, the largest amount of light is found in the summer season, where the least amounts are available in the winter, as the case is in many European countries, but areas like Malaysia the amount of light available throughout the year is almost the same, so the light intensity varieties depend on the geographical area, for example in Sub-Saharan Africa where the climate is desert, clouds and other sun light barriers are not found in the atmosphere, the sunlight density is very high. Not straying from the main point, the more light radiation that a plant harvests, the greater and the ore ability to manufacture food through photosynthetic processes even though this relationship will depend on the pathway group that a certain plan flows. From this interactions, the scientists specially those botanists, ecologists and physiologists realized the direct relationship the amount of light available to the plant and the crop productivity, that is why the greenhouse managers to fix artificial light sources to supply light their fields to create longer photoperiod in the greenhouse targeting more improvements to the final output, even though this strategy will negatively affect the cost of every unit produced under this system. However, they can easily manipulate the amount of light of the planned growth patterns to their plants. Quality of light Are there different light qualities? Light colors, which can be divided into bands of red, yellow, blue, orange, violet and indigo. The red and blue color lights that the plant can absorb have the biggest influence on crop growth, the blue light is primarily responsible to the leaf vegetative growth and the combination of red and blue lights encourage the flowering process. The solar rays produced by the sun, or what is normally known as wavelength of the light constitute the light quality, wavelengths that the sun sends to the earth ranges 250 7000 nanometers, these solar rays reaching the earth are divided into eight parts, only the visible radiation is called light, and the other which are Cosmic rays, Gamma rays, X-rays, Ultraviolet, Infrared, Microwaves and Radio waves are invisible. The visible solar rays or light is the small proportion of the range of wavelengths of the electromagnetic radiation occurring somewhere between 400 and 735 nanometers. In other words the visible light is between Ultraviolet which are shorter waves than 390 nanometers and Infrared which are longer waves than 700 nanometers. Only 47% of the light produces by the sun is gained by the earth (P. Bannister 1978), where the other 53% part of it is absorbed by the atmosphere while other part is reflected by some barriers and finally gained by the space. Only 2% of that 47% o f the light that reaches the ground is used in the photosynthetic processes and about 10% is used different processes that occur in the plant. Duration of light Photoperiod or the duration of light is referred to how long of time the plant exposes to light, the flowering of many plant species is controlled by the photo duration, as a result that, the plant physiology experts tend to name and classify plants into short-day and long-day plants relating to under which condition do these crops flower. In contrast, the duration of uninterrupted darkness which presents a critical situation to the crop development and flowering process is the factor that show the importance of light duration not only the plants but also on farm animals specially poultry production therefore shorter darkness periods are encouraged. The amount of carbon dioxide fixed and assimilated by a specific plant is determined by the light density, because several situations can be seen when the plant is grown the area where the light intensity is not constant this is much explained in the plants light response curve, which shows light compensation point, plant light response area and plants light saturated period where any further increases of the light available to the plant will not result an increase in the amount of the carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere, meaning photosynthetic activities will peak t that point and all the enzymes involved to this process are active. From this concept, the ecologists realized some remarkable differences among the two main pant pathway groups C3 plants, C4plants. Because the carbon dioxide concentration is not the same in these pathways as soon as there are variations in amounts of light available (lower, neutral and higher) the different light amounts are available to the cro p, the growth, development and productivity are highly effected by the light factor. In addition to that, C4 plants showed higher net rate of photosynthesis as a result of light intensity increases than C3 plants. Even though at a very low light intensities C3 plants are more affective and efficiency than C4 plants because of their low compensation points, crops like corn and sorghum full sunlight for photosynthesis while tobacco can tolerate only partial sunlight. Water Water is the most component in the living cell, plants contain nearly 90% of water content , this high percentage enables us to understand the remarkable role of water on the crop growth and development, large quantities of agricultural output all over the world is heavily depend on different types of irrigation, over 1500 million hectares of agricultural land are irrigated every year, the continuously rise of the global temperature is seem to be the highest impact on the irrigated agriculture when considering water (hydrological) cycle. Water in a primary component in plant photosynthesis, the plant respiration, responsible to balance the pressure (turgor) in the plant cell, turgor is required to form the cell shape, tissue firmness and fullness, and ensure cell development. Also water is the place and the solvent where carbohydrates and minerals are transported from the soil and/or leaves to the other parts of the plant. Water treats as a cooling system to regulate the plant temperature specially on the leaf surface through a process called transpiration, water controls the stomata opening and closure, water provides a kind of power to encourage roots to penetrate the soil more in depth and this will enlarge the space that the crop can absorb the nutrients needed for growth and development. One more crucial role is that the water is the medium where biological reactions take place, also water is a component in the organic reactions, and it is used in the cell growth. Amount of water available in the plant compared the atmosphere water content (atmosphere humidity) is the limiting factor of crop photosynthesis, the ratio of the amount of water vapor available in the air to the volume of water that the air can keep at specific temperature and pressure is called relative humidity. Water vapor is the whenever a water molecule leaves from the surface of the ground, it is said to have  evaporated. Each individual water molecule which transitions between a more associated (liquid) and a less associated (vapor/gas) state does so through the absorption or release of kinetic energy. On the other hand, In the hot climate, wind and dry air conditions while there is a moisture stress or what scientifically called water deficit caused by the low water content, in this situation the stomata aperture is dramatically reduced and the photosynthetic reactions are weakened because the activeness and the effectiveness of the enzymes have a direct proportional relationship to the amount of water found from the s urrounding environment and inside the plant tissue and indirectly proportional to the temperature specially the extreme one. Temperature As said in the beginning temperature is important factor to the plant growth, development and yield, since it affects approximately most of the plant processes including germination, photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration and flowering. As the degree of temperature increases this will result an increase to the plant respiration and photosynthesis. Generally in temperate species, the increase in temperature about 10oC (18oF) will cause to the rate of carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation approximately to double. Furthermore usually plants in the tropical areas require higher temperature degrees to perform successful photosynthetic processes to the possible maximum level that the plants in the temperate areas can generate. Usually, plants differ their temperature requirements for example radish, spinach and lettuce which are cold weather (season) crops germinate at 55oF 65oF best, where crops like petunia, lobelia and tomato which are hot climate crops germinate at about 65oF 75oF best. According to the level of the temperature, plant processes can speed up or slow down the period that each activity completes. For instance, the 18 months that the oil palm plants need to live in the nursery can be reduced to about 10 months when provided higher temperatures from artificial sources. Flowering however, experts in horticulture sometimes relate the length of the day to the temperature to manipulate flowering. For example the combination of short days with low temperature degrees helps cold-season plants to the set the flowers as the case in Christmas cactus, when the temperature levels are in their highest points and the days are in their longest hours the summer (cold-season) crops will bolt as in the case in spinach. In contrast, when the temperature is extremely cold, plants like tomato which is warm climate crops will set their fruits in unsuccessful manner. Temperature influence on biochemical plant processes Biochemical reactions of the plant are directly affected by the temperature through one or two principle functions, an exponentially dynamic increase to the rates of proceeding activities. And sometimes as the climate gets hotter more exponential delay will be experienced resulted by enzymes lost their naturalness. The most important and involved factor is the weather, it is not impossible to rise the quality of enzyme stability so as to avoid losses in their naturalness. The everyday changes on the temperature is called thermo-period the best crop growth occurs when the difference between the day and night temperatures is about 10 to 15o C. under this situation plant build up their food and break down the energy, higher temperatures than that required by the crops cause some crops to photo-respire and the amount of food manufactured by the photosynthesis will equalize the energy used to at that time and carbon dioxide CO2 assimilated will be zero meaning that the crop is in the state of light compensation point. Therefore food molecules synthesized from the photosynthetic activities must overweight the energy that the plant consumes otherwise the plant will grow poorly resulting drops in the ultimate yields. Higher temperatures and their long-term influences on the crop The chronic effects meet the crop growth and development when the temperature is getting higher every day the crop stress will become more serious because of the extreme hot weather. However C4 plants showed a higher net rate of photosynthesis than C3 plants when temperature levels at the surface of leaves were increased. In 1993 Kropff and his colloquies, found that 9% decrease of rice productivity were recorded for every 1o C increase of the temperature, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) coordinating with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), their second evaluation report in December 1995 forecasted that the temperature of the planet will rise about 2 5oC during 21st century and the sea level will grow up about 30 t0 100 cm more, and this higher sea levels can submerge many agricultural areas in the world, these weather conditions will negatively affect the food production in the globe. Carbon dioxide When crops are manufacturing their food through photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is the most component factor importance in that process, plants obtain CO2 from the air through the pore spaces on the surface of the leaf when open, CO2 flow in the plant tissue depends on the carbon dioxide concentration inside the plant and the plants surrounding atmosphere, the carbon dioxide molecules (substances) move inside the plant when the concentration inside is less density than its concentration outside and this is a physical process called diffusion. The carbon dioxide flow in the plant is controlled by the stomata then the pore spaces on the leaf surface are open, and the aperture of the stomata its turn depends on the amount of water available in the guard cells. Overview of carbon dioxide influence on plant growth and development Plants are divided into two main categories according to their response and their first stable product after the fixation of carbon dioxide. The first category is those species whose first stable products after the fixation of carbon dioxide is three carbon molecules and the plants under this group are called C3 plants or C3 pathway. The second group is the species that their first stable products after the fixation of carbon dioxide are four carbon molecules and plants in this group are called C4 plants or C4 pathway, also there are CAM plants, these plants have different character, because the plant here operate fixing carbon dioxide in dark, plants depend on the amount of carbon dioxide accumulated in the leaf in the night. The photosynthetic rates of the plant directly relate to the growing amounts of carbon dioxide until it reaches approximately 700 ÃŽ ¼ mol/mol or higher according to the plant type and other factors. Furthermore photosynthesis always develops with the rise of temperature to optimum levels and after specific maximum level the photosynthesis in C3 plants show decline, as a result of photorespiration process which takes place in the plant. As some scenarios of the world climate change mentions, a global worming is forecasted and that will increase the amount of carbon dioxide available in the atmosphere as well as other gases in the green house. Mean while the amount of rain in many places of the world may also experience changes, generally scientists believe that certain plant species will indicate yield increase especially in C3 plants (C3 pathway includes many important crops like wheat, rice, oats, soybean, pea, peanuts, sunflower and tomato) because of the CO2 increase. However, benefits of increased carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are limited, because stomata close and photosynthesis stops at CO2 concentrations higher than 0.15%. On the other hand, C4 plants which include coin, sorghum, sugarcane and millet and many other crops are more efficient in higher bright-nesses and higher temperatures than C3 plants even though the reverse is true when light intensity is very low. Soybean responses different amounts of CO2 As IPCC and FAO reported in their second assessment in December 1995, the amount of production harvested from soybean fields was generally increasing by the elevated CO2 levels Allen et al. (1987). The following table shows the percentage increases of soybean yield predicted across selected carbon dioxide concentration ranges associated with relevant benchmark points in time, adapted from Allen et al. (1987). Period of time (years) [CO2] midday Biomass photosynthesis Seed yield Initial Final (Nmd/mol) (% increase over initial [CO2]) IA 17001 200 270 38 33 1700 1973 270 330 19 16 1973 20732 330 660 50 41 1 IA, the ice age is about 13 000 to 30 000 years before present. The atmospheric CO2 concentration that prevailed during the last Ice Age, and from the end of the glacial melt until pre-pioneer/pre-industrial revolution times, were 200 and 270 ÃŽ ¼ mol/mol respectively. 2 The first world energy crises occurred in 1973 when the CO2 concentration was 330 ÃŽ ¼ mol/mol. This CO2 concentration is used as the basis for many CO2 doubling studies. The CO2 concentration is expected to double sometime within the 21st century. Conclusion Crop production and productivity entails the management of production resources, since the world population increases demanding more food and fiber the need of utilizing the sunlight energy, water, temperature and carbon dioxide is important since plants are the ultimate source of energy for all lives on the earth. We humans and other animals cannot utilize the solar energy, only organisms that contain chlorophyll are able, but we are capable to give more attention to the factors that affect photosynthesis. The management, conservation and protection of water, land and atmosphere are the most challenging issues to realize higher and stable crop yields. In the future, the main that the researchers discuss will be to identify and select plant species that have the ability to perform more photosynthesis and carbon dioxide assimilation for higher dry matter production. Also when more is understood from influences of the present climate changes on plant production and productivity, much money, time and effort should be invested to introduce cultivars that can adapt the environment biologically and systems to contribute the management of crop production to create more stable, sustainable and productive agricultural models.

Dr. Johnson’s Criticism of Shakespeare Essay

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), a flamboyant and versatile scholar, expresses his view of Shakespeare in his edition of Shakespeare’s plays which are enriched by his prefaces. But like other critics he does not eulogize the poet; on the contrary, he dwells on the faults in his plays. He shows a very balanced and unbiased mind capable of judging the merits and demerits of his plays without being influenced by the hallow effect. He reads neither to admire everything, nor does he contradict his excellence; he performs the task of weighing and considering what he reads and offers his comments which have a moral bias. In â€Å"The Preface to Shakespeare†Ã‚   he admires him as   Ã¢â‚¬Å"the poet of nature, not of learning; the creator of characters who spring to life; and a writer whose works express the full range of human passions† (Norton.1255)   His judgment of Shakespeare has both the positive and the negative aspects and he does not indulge in â€Å"bardolatry† like other critics. He believes that dead writers are unnecessarily glorified and the living ones are neglected. He rightly says, â€Å"The great contention of criticism is to find the faults of the moderns and the beauties of the ancients.† (Norton.1256) He also advocates the critical theory that an author can be evaluated only by comparing his works with others, â€Å"so in the production of genius, nothing can be styled excellent till it has been compared with other works of the same kind.† (Norton.1256) He   also upholds the view that a literary work can be called great only when it has stood the test of time. He thinks, â€Å"Shakespeare is, above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature, the poet that holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.† (Norton.1257) It is difficult to surpass this succinct summing up of Shakespeare’s genius. But Johnson disparages the uncritical acceptance of Shakespeare as perfect; he points out his faults as well, without undermining his genius. Johnson praises Shakespeare’s art of characterization highlighting their variety, depth, credibility and the power of delighting his readers. Using his comparative method, he observes, â€Å"they are the genuine progeny of common humanity †¦In the writings of other poets a character is too often an individual: in those of Shakespeare it is commonly a species.† (Norton.1257) The characters and the situations are so impressive because â€Å"Shakespeare has no heroes, his scenes are occupied only by men, who act and speak as the reader thinks that he should himself have spoken or acted on the same occasion;†(Norton.1258) This culminates in his view, â€Å"his drama is the mirror of life.† (Norton.1258) Being a believer in didactic function of literature, he appreciates how his plays are full of â€Å"practical axioms and domestic wisdom† (Norton.1257) but for the same reason he criticizes him when it is absent, â€Å"He sacrifices virtue to convenience, and is so much more careful to please than to instruct that he seems to write without any moral purpose.† (Norton.1259)   It is clear that he does not believe in â€Å"art for art’s sake† like Oscar Wilde and Walter Pater. Johnson vainly castigates Shakespeare for not being a moralist, â€Å"he that thinks reasonably, must think morally, but his precepts and axioms drop casually from him; he makes no just distribution of good or evil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Norton.1259)

Affects of Capital Punishment on Society Essay

† To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice† ( qtd. in Anti-Death Penalty). Capital punishment, or the death penalty, has been around in some sort of variation for centuries. It is enforced upon criminals who have been convicted of the most heinous crimes, such as homicide. There have been debates throughout time as whether or not the death penalty is appropriate punishment. Valid arguments of support and contradiction of capital punishment have come up over time, making citizens believe it is a tough decision for lawmakers to choose whether or not to allow the death penalty. The decision is simple. Capital Punishment should be abolished throughout the country because it is an unfair and unnecessary way of castigation that contains many flaws and serves no justice for those involved. Executions have been held in the United States as far back as history recognizes. Beginning in 1976, states have begun to come to their senses and finally abolish the death penalty. The number of American civilians who oppose the death penalty have also more than double since then, showing that more than one-third of the population now oppose capital punishment ( 2001Jost 948). Since 1976, more that 1,000 executions have occurred in the United States. Between the thirty-eight states that approve of the death penalty, and the thirty-two that have used in since 1976, there are five different execution methods that are available, each having their disadvantages ( Friedman 85). The first of these execution styles is death by hanging. Until the late 1800’s, this type of murder was the primary execution type in the united states. Many states have since stopped hangings, but it has not been gotten rid of completely. Currently, it is still used in Delaware, Washington, and New Hampshire. The last record execution hanging dates back to January 25, 1996 in Delaware, when Billie Bailey was hung for being convicted of the murder of an elderly couple. Hanging is just one of the several disturbing ways in which â€Å"justice† is served in America ( Friedman 74). Another way of performing the death penalty is by the use of lethal gas. It is arguably the least violent of execution methods, and it does not mar, or disfigure, the body. There is little pain involved, and it takes minimal time to perform. Several states use this type of execution, including California, Maryland, Mississippi, and Wyoming. The latest recorded execution by lethal gas was in 1999 in Arizona ( Friedman 74). If there were such a thing as the â€Å"best† execution method, this would be the one. The rarest of type of performing capital punishment is by the use of a firing squad. First, the convicted is led into an execution room where he will sit upon a blood absorbing chair. He is placed before five gunmen, holding four bullet guns and a blank, so that the killers would not be identified. After being covered with a black hood, members of the firing squad aim for the heart, instantly killing the criminal. The latest firing squad execution was in January of 1996, when John Albert Taylor of Utah was sentenced to the death penalty. Death by firing squad is very uncommon and is used only upon an inmate’s request ( Friedman 74). The most currently used method of capital punishment is lethal injection. The performance consists of three drugs entering the bloodstream. They include sodium pentothal, which knocks out the person, pancuronium bromide, which causes widespread paralysis, and lastly, potassium chloride, which induces a heart attack, killing the convicted criminal. Death penalty supporters believe this type of injection is the most humane, because it is said that once the first drug enters the bloodstream, that the victim drifts off to sleep and feels no pain. However, there is no proof backing this theory up, and taking into the consideration of the strength of potassium chloride, it is nearly impossible to believe that the person does not feel any pain ( Friedman 77). Lastly, electrocution is the fifth and final type of execution. First introduced in the 1880’s, it is currently the second most common type of criminal murder behind lethal injection. The process begins with the criminal being thoroughly shaved to avoid interference with the electrical current. Then they are strapped into an electrocution chair. A saline-moistened sponge is placed upon the person’s head to conduct the electric current that flows throughout the body. This is then covered by a metal hat. The prisoner is then blindfolded. A flip is then switched, sending anywhere from 500-2000 volts of electricity through the body, hoping to kill the person within seconds. Ten states allow this type of execution, and it is the only type of execution permitted in Nebraska. It is by far the most cruel type of criminal punishment, due to the fact that the prisoner is caused an immense amount of pain. A specific case involving this occurred in Alabama in 1983. John Louis Evans caught fire while being executed, and it took over 14 minutes before he was finally pronounced dead. All types of the death penalty are brutal murders, but electrocution by far is the worst ( Friedman 75). † Because the current death penalty law, while neutral on its face, is applied in such a manner that people of color and the poor are disproportionately condemned to die, the law is legally and morally invalid† ( qtd. in Friedman 61). Capital Punishment is a heinous type of punishment as it is, and the fact the majority of cases are unfair makes it even worse. If the death penalty is to continue, a better effort at least needs to be made to make sure that only defendants that by the lawmakers standards â€Å"deserve to be killed† shall be executed. Whether the situation involves racism, the region in which the crime is committed in, financial wealth, or mental capacity, the death penalty is being unfairly applied upon too many individuals. Racism is one of the most common ways in which Capital punishment is unfairly enforced. In the year 2000, a series of studies was done by the United States Department of Justice. Results from the study show that Caucasians were more than twice as likely to receive plea-bargains in homicide cases than black defendants. A separate study showed that it was at least twice as likely that the prosecution would seek the death penalty if a black person killed a white person, than if a white person killed a black person. A similar 3,900 case study by Jack Boger, a law professor at the University of North Carolina, confirms the statement that if a white human is murdered, it is twice as likely the prosecution will seek the death penalty ( Progressive 135-36). The amount of black criminals that are on death row are beyond all imaginations. Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington Death Penalty Information Center, did a studying on criminal cases in which capital punishment was sought by the prosecution. Results showed that 72% of these cases involved a black defendant. Amnesty International is also one of the many organizations that believe too that the death penalty is racist. The organization’s evidence shows that since 1977, the amount of black and white murder victims are nearly equal. However, over 80% of these homicides that received the death penalty involved having a white victim ( 2001Jost 952). Black people are unfairly treated when it comes to capital punishment, but they are definitely not the only ones. Secondly, the unfairness of capital punishment is brought out by a defendant’s wealth. Poor defendants receive attorneys who are inexperienced, underpaid, and unmotivated, giving them slim chances of having a chance of innocence. A statement from the United Nations Human Rights Commission stated that an poverty-stricken criminal’s chances of receiving the death penalty increase immensely compared to a rich person, only because of a poor defensive argument ( Parks 57). Amnesty International also reports that 95% of inmates on death row are not even wealthy enough to afford their own attorney, possibly being the reason that they are there ( 2010Jost 973). Although it is said that money cannot buy happiness, it sure has the ability to keep a convicted criminal alive. Over the past few decades, it has been evident that many parts of the country overuse the death penalty quite a bit. In a 2004 study by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it shows that that the south has carried out 85% of the nations executions, with over half of executions in the United States coming from Virginia, Florida, and Texas, who leads the nation with over 375 executions since 1976 ( 2005Jost 789). Also, out of the top ten states in which capital punishment is used most, the furthest north is the state of Virginia. With all the evidence pointing towards the south becoming a safer place by executing vicious criminals, it is actually the exact opposite. The south has the highest crime rate throughout the country by far, and is the most dangerous region to live in. On the other hand, the northeast has performed the least number of executions. The region also has the lowest murder rate in the country ( Friedman 37). Evidence clearly shows that the south is executing way too many people, and it part of the explanation as to why the south has so many homicides. â€Å"We shall never execute anybody who is mentally retarded† (qtd. in Progressive 132). This quote made by President George W. Bush shows that the debate of whether or not â€Å"mentally retarded† criminals should be up for execution continues today. Before 2002, 36 states had prohibited the use of capital punishment on â€Å"mentally retarded† defendants. In June of 2002, the supreme court issued a ruling, ending the execution of those with intellectual disabilities. Although this may sound like good news, it still is not nearly enough. Regulations for states classification of an intellectual disabled person include a significantly limited amount of functioning and behavior, and some states include that the defendant must have an IQ below 65 to be considered â€Å"mentally retarded†. These limitations may prevent some executions for mentally slow people, but certainly not all. One of the most nationwide known cases of this involved Virginia’s Earl Washington. In 1983, Washington, having an IQ of 69, was convinced by police that he was guilty of the rape and murder of a Virginia woman. After confessing he was sentenced to execution. In 2000, just days before his execution date, Earl was pronounced innocent and released from prison ( Intellectual Disability). This is just one of the many examples of unknown injustices that occur when mentally slow persons are available to receive the death penalty, no matter what their IQ is. It is believed that there are still over 600 people on death row that can be considered in some way, â€Å"mentally retarded† ( Ross 84). Capital punishment in the United States has numerous problems that hurts the justice system immensely. While real criminals are executed and taken off the street, the pro’s of execution do not outweigh the disadvantages of it. Cost, exoneration, time spent on death row, and the fact that capital punishment does not deter murder are all major issues that need to be understood so that people fully understand why the death penalty should be abolished. † The extra money spent on the death penalty could be spent on other means of achieving justice and making the community safer: compensation for victims, better lighting in crime areas, more police on streets, or longer periods of incarceration for certain offenders† ( Friedman 12). Cost is a big issue when it comes to the choice between capital punishment or keeping a criminal behind bars for life. Many believe that execution saves the country a great deal of money. It actually is the exact opposite, causing states such as Florida and Indiana an extra forty million dollars on executions annually for each state. The average cost of an execution in the United States ranges anywhere from 2-5 million dollars. This includes the time spent on death row, plus the execution itself. The cost to keep a criminal in prison until death is around $760,000. This surprises many individuals and knowing more information on the death penalty may changes the Capital Punishment views of Amer icans ( Fagan). The United States is known for being the most active state when it comes to executions. Those who believe this statement are absolutely correct, because the United States has more death row inmates than any other country in the world ( American Civil Liberties Union 126). All of these people on death row also spend an incredibly long time on death row, which is a main reason that the cost of an execution is so much. In most cases, a death row inmate will spend 10-20 years on average in prison before they are executed. This is due to several things. One is that the government wants to be absolutely sure that the criminal is guilty as charged, even though innocent people have still been executed. Another reason is the numerous appeals that these possibly innocent people file, trying to convince others of their innocence. These issues are important in showing that death row is full of inmates for years, where instead, the inmates could be at normal prisons serving a life sentence ( Frie dman 11). In August of 1993, Ruben Cantu of Texas was executed on charges of robbery and homicide. Later, new evidence, as well as a signed statement by the confessed murder, proved Cantu’s innocence. Many death row inmates have been exonerated through the history of Capital Punishment, and Ruben Cantu is one of many who have been wrongly executed. Another case involved Frank Lee Smith, who was convicted of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl. Smith spend fourteen years on death row and died of cancer. It was later proven that he was innocent of all charges. Since 1989, there have been more than 180 post conviction exonerations, thanks to the use of DNA technology. The average person who has been exonerated in one of the 31 states where they have occurred has wrongfully spent twelve years behind bars ( Friedman 21). That is more than 180 too many, and not one of those wrongful convictions was necessary.

A Dysfunctional Behavior Involving a Drunkard Parent

A Dysfunctional Behavior Involving a Drunkard Parent The following behavioral therapy plan has been designed to deal with a dysfunctional behavior involving a drunkard parent. The parent is a father of three who is a habitual drunkard and this habit is adversely affecting the finances of the family. He spends most of his free time, especially after work, at drinking joints.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Dysfunctional Behavior Involving a Drunkard Parent specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The habit is also affecting the fatherly responsibility and expectations of the parent. However, no one among the family members is willing to talk about the habit which has seen family ties subsequently threatened and deteriorate due to fatherly negligence and irresponsibility. As a therapist, I would opt for conditioning and learning to help the father overcome this behavior. The most immediate response to the behavior will be a positive reinforcement of classical conditioning whic h refers to a method of learning where the conditioned response is supposed to initiate the occurrence of an unconditioned response. A person is thought to associate the occurrence of one signal with the automatic response of a second signal that will always follow the first one. In behavioral therapy, classical conditioning is used to change the unconditioned stimulus by successfully substituting it with another desired stimulus in order to overcome the dysfunctional habit. Initially, the person would have a certain dysfunctional habit that he or she has always associated with a certain uncontrolled stimulus. The desired unconditioned stimulus is gradually introduced while reducing the undesired one. In this case, the conditioned stimulus will be an alarm clock that goes on at exactly 4 pm signifying the end of working time. Thus, the father relates the alarm signal to free time and every time the alarm goes on, he knows he is free from duty and drives to his usual drinking joints. Hence, drinking is the unconditioned stimulus that should be done away with, while the big task is to identify another activity that will substitute visiting the drinking places. More so, the father has to be trained to always associate free time with the identified behavior. Through classical conditioning, he is introduced to golf as a game and subsequently as the unconditioned stimulus. He is gradually trained to associate the alarm clock with golf. Once it goes on, he is reminded of an appointment with the golf course and thus leaves the office to go and play golf. It is expected that with time, he will start to associate the alarm with the game and in the process he will shun drinking. Once done with classical conditioning, operant conditioning should follow. In operant or instrumental conditioning, a person is left to choose on the right action against the dysfunctional behavior according to its consequences. A person is made fully aware of the behavior they are engaging in, a nd the probable consequences. It is then left upon them to voluntarily make a decision over the same.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Operant conditioning may lead to punishment or reinforcement. Punishment occurs when the affected person takes up the new behavior less frequently while reinforcement occurs when the affected person goes on with the new behavior more frequently than before. Conditioning may be said to be extinct if the affected person shows no change following the introduction of a new trait. The case of a drunk and irresponsible father demands that he is reminded of the societal expectations. Effort should also be made to make him realize the negligence he has subjected the family to and the mismanagement of family finances. The father should also be briefed on the current consequences of his behavior as well as what might befall the family in the future as a result of his drinking habit and then the idea of engaging in golf as a game to help utilize free time should be introduced. This should be made to sound like the best option compared to drinking. A few merits of engaging in sports over drinking should convince the father. The father should also be explained to that that playing golf will not only help him manage free time but also slowly quit drinking. The father is then left to decide on his own on the best action to take with playing golf having been put as the best alternative. During this time, it is expected that he will evaluate the consequences of daily drinking on the family and compare the consequences should he opt to spend his free time doing something else. Observational learning should closely follow operant conditioning. Here, the affected person is left to act on his behavior through observing others. In behavioral therapy, the therapist identifies various personalities with outstanding character in society who act as role models. Some might be those who were once faced with a similar condition. The client is then allowed to observe their lifestyle, character, personality as well as the generalized behavior of such persons. He/she is most likely to be tempted to ape certain positive traits from such models. Hence, through observation and copying, the affected person may eventually drop the bad trait in an attempt to be like the role model. Once again, observational learning does not call for reinforcement but learning through observation just like little children do in the course of their behavioral development. Thus, the therapist will only be entitled to identifying the models and the whole task of observation is left to the client.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on A Dysfunctional Behavior Involving a Drunkard Parent specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Referring to the client in this scenario, I need to identify a few examples of people who were once irresponsible drinkers who will serve as models. I will also sample out some parents with exemplary family set ups that I will use to persuade and encourage my client to keenly observe how such parents manage and raise their families. I will then allow my client to keep observing the families as I asses his progress. The client is advised to only watch out for positive traits that might help him quit drinking and not trying to copy the whole social lifestyle of the model. Having properly gone through classical conditioning and operant conditioning, I am convinced the client will eventually opt for golf after work over drinking. He might eventually quit drinking. In conclusion, behavioral therapy majorly depends on the client’s willingness to drop a certain behavior as well as the methods employed by the therapist. The three approaches explained above are however the best methods used to encourage behavioral change. Once somebody has an alternative for a certain behavior, he is given time to ponder on the consequences and make a decision. The same person is then encouraged to uphold the same decision by observing those who have excelled through the same way. In this manner, one is able to successfully go through dysfunctional behavior therapy and achieve behavioral transformation.

Tips and Tricks for Getting Your Students Attention

Tips and Tricks for Getting Your Students Attention One of the biggest challenges teachers face is getting (and keeping) their students attention. Learning to do so takes time and practice, but effective teaching requires it. Here are 20 attention signals to help get your students attention. Plus: simple strategies to get them to hang on to your every word. 20 Attention Signals Here are 20 call and response teacher attention signals to use in your elementary classroom. Teacher says, One, Two - Students response, Eyes on you.Teacher says, Eyes - Students response, Open.Teacher Says, Ears - Students response, Listening.Teacher says, If you can hear me clap once, if you hear me clap twice.Teacher says, Hear Ye Hear ye - Students response, All eyes on the queen.Teacher says, Give me five - Students respond by raising their hand.Teacher says, Peanut butter - Students say Jelly.Teacher says, Tomato - Students say Tomahto.Teacher says, Ready to Rock? - Students response, Ready to Roll.Teacher says, Hey - Students respond with Ho.Teacher says, Macaroni - Students respond with Cheese.Teacher says, Marco - Students respond, Polo.Teacher says, One fish, Two Fish - Students response, Red Fish, Blue Fish.Teacher says, Silent Guitar - Students respond by playing air guitar.Teacher says, Silent Wiggles - Students respond by dancing around.Teacher says, Hocus, Pocus - Students response is Everybody focus.Teacher says, Chocolate - Students response, Cake. Teacher says, All set - Students say, You bet.Teacher says, Hands on top - Students say, That means stop!Teacher says, Chica Chica - Students say, Boom Boom. Tips for Getting Students Attention Practice, practice, practice! Go over your attention signal until your blue in the face.Praise students for getting (and doing) the signal correctly.Make it fun! Change it up and say (or do) the signal fast, or slow, soft or loud. Non-Verbal Ways to Keep Students Quiet Tips for Keeping Students Attention Once you figure out which attention signal works best for you and your students, your next job is to keep their attention. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. Create interactive hands-on lessons - Students are more apt to stay engaged when they are actively involved in the lesson. Try a cooperative learning lesson or use classroom learning centers to keep students engaged.Get students up and moving - Help students refocus their energy by getting them up and moving. Play a learning game sitting on their desks, have them stand up while working, or take a break every thirty minutes where students get up and do a series of quick exercises.Change the scenery - The monotony of the everyday routine in the same room, learning the same way can be dull and boring for students. Once a week, change it up by teaching outside, in the hallway, or any other room other than your classroom. This is a surefire way to get and keep your students attention. More Tips and Ideas Wear bright clothesUse humor in your lessonsVideotape your lesson and play it to your classroomHave students take notesPlay background musicGive students a checklist of what they need to knowTurn the lights off while teaching a lessonHave students use a computer or iPadHave students take photos during a lesson that pertain to the lesson

Why Do College Students Procrastinate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Do College Students Procrastinate - Essay Example This paper will take a look into the non-technological reasons that college students often fall prey to and cause them to procrastinate. Procrastination is an activity that is most seen in the undergraduate level of college students. Some of the reasons that professionals have found to cause procrastination include lack of motivation, deficiencies in self-regulation, external locus of control, perfectionism, trait and state anxiety, fear of failure, low self-efficacy, and low self-confidence (Welmer, Maryellen, PhD. â€Å"Why Students Procrastinate and What You Can Do About It†). Since these reasons have been identified as the most common reasons for procrastination, psychological studies have been done in order to identify the extent that these reasons cover procrastination. Known in the psychological community as the â€Å"avoidant coping styles†, 374 undergraduate students explained that their tendency to neglect school work causes them anxiety that they refuse to de al with. (qtd. in Glenn). Therefore procrastination can be seem more as a coping mechanism for the students who lack ample adjustment abilities when it comes to their college classes. These avoidant lifestyles then translate into late term papers and other class requirements. Although not a trivial problem, it is not considered a very serious problem in most circles. But that is not to say that professors ignore these problems when it arises in their class. In reference to this problem, Dr. Joseph Ferrari, associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago and Dr. Timothy Pychyl, associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, (Lenker, Caitlin & MacAndrew, Dan â€Å"The Procrastination Epidemic: An Investigative Report†) report that; â€Å"... Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators.† These people view procrastination as the result of their exra curricular activities that, as mentioned earlier, distract them from completing their college duties. However, some of them also indicated that they tend to procrastinate simply because they wish to have more time to sleep (Lenker, Caitlin and MacAndrew, Dan â€Å"The Procrastination Epidemic: An Investigative Report†). Undergraduates come up with the most creative reasons for procrastinating their way through a semester of college. Whatever their reasons, the truth is that the most important reason they tend to procrastinate is sheer laziness. What these students do not realize is that the procrastination causes stress in their lives and causes a number of negative outcomes for them during their academic career (Todd, Daniel â€Å"Overcoming Procrastination†). We have all been through the college adjustment phase at least once in our lives. While some end up adjusting and getting on quite with their academic careers, the others who allow procrastination to take over their lives end up dropping out of college altoget her. However, procrastination should not be associated merely with undergraduate slackers and underperformers. There are also some procrastinators who are excellent academic students. But they prefer to slack off and procrastinate because of the sense of accomplishment and the rush of having beaten a deadline when it comes to the submission of their class requirements (Lenker, Caitlin & MacAndrew, Dan â€Å"The Procrastination Epidemic: An Investigative Report†). Students such as Paul Rakszwaski say that the rush one gets from completing class requirements before a deadline cannot be beaten. He relates that (qtd. in Lenker & MacAndrew); Procrastinating is really great! I tend to work better when I have a very pressing deadline

Contemporary Struggles Within Christianity and Islam Essay

Contemporary Struggles Within Christianity and Islam - Essay Example These issues are lack of fellowship and the lack of Biblical knowledge amongst Christians. However, apart from these culturally based struggles, Christianity is also split by the pressures that stem from modern society. In essence, certain Christians do not have sufficient knowledge of the Bible or its use. Today, not everyone who professes to reading the Bible does so during a week’s time (Geisler, 2010). The Bible is essentially the word of God, as the foundation of the Christian belief. Today, however, many Christians lack the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, the struggle becomes how such individuals can call themselves Christians while they do not even read the Bible and appreciate the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. In addition, since Christians are called to strengthen their fellowship with God and other believers, one contemporary struggle within Christianity is the maintenance of this fellowship. The church provides a place where Christians can gather and fell owship with God and other Christians. However, contemporary lifestyles limit people’s attendance of church compared to the onset of Christianity. The percentage of churches in the current era has dwindled significantly as Christians continue to draw away from attending church fellowships. Christianity beliefs assert that when Christians’ fellowship with one another, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses them. Today, a key struggle within Christianity is support mechanisms amongst believers who become vulnerable to negative teachings in the absence of fellowship. Traditional Christian beliefs provide that when Christians’ fellowship with one another and God, such Christians do not walk in darkness, for instance; they do not lie, steal or kill. Today, Christianity continues to be split by evils such as stealing; even amongst church leaders. Another significant struggle within Christianity is the lack of Biblical knowledge and its ultimate understanding. Responsibilit ies and lifestyles in the modern day deter Christians from reading or studying the Bible. This results in internal issues among Christians who hold different beliefs. For instance, today, it is common to hear Christian groups asserting they know when the world will come to an end, despite the Bible’s clear teachings that only God is privy to such information (Williams, 2000). This has over the past caused substantial problems among Christians, especially following the emergence of false prophets and prophesies. Another formidable struggle within Christianity is finding the right balance between Christians and Muslims, particularly after the advent of terrorism acts across the globe. Struggles within Islam Islam’s doctrines center on the beliefs of peace and love. However, the Islam’s main struggle today lies in the association of Muslims with acts of terrorism and other heinous crimes like piracy and kidnapping. Since 9/11, Muslims face stigmatization on matters concerning security. This stigmatization further augments struggles within Islam, concerning those who condone acts of terrorism and piracy and those who abide by the traditional beliefs of Islam like the maintenance of peace and love amongst human kind (Al-Alwani, 2005). Allah’s teachings, which are the foundation on which Islam is built, demand the maintenance of virtues amongst Muslims. However, modernity has distorted these virtues allowing Muslims to behave in