Exploration Of Oil And Gas Resources Essay - 1715 Words

Introduction With the continued depletion of conventional oil and gas resources, the oil industry is now more than ever faced with exploration of unconventional and challenging oil and gas reserves. Such reserves call for novel drilling techniques and also require drilling fluids that can fulfil such drilling requirements. In most cases it’s OBM that can provide hole stability and it is also the best choice for drilling highly sensitive wells. But as these OBMs are being used, operators must strike a balance between their desired high performance standards and environmental concerns of their regulators and local communities. These stringent environmental concerns have led to research and development of many water based drilling muds but these muds still don’t offer the desired drilling performances like OBMs. We shall now look at the advantages and disadvantages of both OBMs and WBMs Advantages of WBM: WBMs pose a comparably minimal risk to the environment, there’s a lower logistical challenge as compared to OBMs in terms of transporting of the liquid phase, For WBMs disposal doesn’t require high transportation cost like OBMs especially for off shore operations that might require shipment to shore for treatment and disposal, Viscosity and Density are easily controlled, for low pressure formations, WBMs are a good choice, easier removal of drill cuttings at shakers and Less of a need for cuttings washing and drying. 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This company had experienced ups and own in its journey from beginning till now. In this regard this paper discusses about the Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysisRead MoreCompany Background Of Exxonmobil ( Xom ) Is An Oil And Gas Company Based Out Of Texas, Usa1599 Words   |  7 PagesBACKGROUND ExxonMobil (XOM) is an oil and gas company based out of Texas, USA. ExxonMobil is considered to be among the top companies in the Major Integrated Oil and Gas industry. Their standing among competitors is based off of several major indicators such as revenues, production, oil and gas reserves and profits. ExxonMobil was formed in 1999 from a merger of Exxon and Mobil oil and gas companies. ExxonMobil has encompasses the resources and structures of Standard Oil. They are also world’s largestRead MoreCurrent Sources Of The State Of Indonesia1721 Words   |  7 Pagesof the state revenues. It is also a very important strategic commodity and often as political issue. 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Appeals Process - 1313 Words

APPEALS PROCESS KENNETH SPAULDING CJS/220 UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX MAY 7 2015 APPEALS PROCESS An appeal is a right you usually have after a final decision of a court or government agency. If you don’t agree with the decision of the court or agency, you can have the decision reviewed by a higher court or agency, and sometimes a court can review an agency’s decision. Almost all appeals have to be filed in writing. All appeals have to be filed within a certain time, called the appeal period. Sometimes you have to post an appeal bond, of cash or property, within a certain time, to appeal from a lower court to a higher court. A typical appeal in a criminal case is from a conviction following a trial. The defendant will allege to the†¦show more content†¦That is a powerful advantage. Whoever is expected to testify in the case should review the initial appeal letter. Use the same physician for most appeals. This allows you to train the physician on both the regulatory framework and the art of testimony. Using a â€Å"designated† physician allows you to build a small team of individuals who can learn and work together. Each appeal can build on lessons from past successes and failures. Having a consistent team is probably the best tip for improving your appeals. EXAMPLE OF REAL-WORLD CASE (CBS/AP) SAN FRANCISCO - Convicted murderer Scott Peterson filed an automatic appeal to the California Supreme Court on Thursday, eight years after he was sentenced to death for the murders of his wife and unborn son. In the appeal, his lawyer argued that the overwhelming publicity the trial received, incorrect evidentiary rulings, juror misconduct and other errors deprived Peterson of a fair trial. A San Mateo County jury found the former fertilizer salesman guilty of suffocating Laci Peterson and dumping her in the San Francisco Bay on Christmas Eve 2002. Peterson was convicted in 2004, although he maintained his innocence throughout the trial. He claimed that Laci was killed sometime in the morning of Dec. 24, 2002 after he left their Modesto home to go fishing in the San Francisco Bay. Death penalty lawyer Cliff Gardner noted that Peterson was convicted and sentenced to deathShow MoreRelatedAppeals Process934 Words   |  4 PagesAppeals When an offender and it’s representing counsel feels that the judge made a substantial mistake in their case then the defendant through his representing counsel has the option to appeal the decision. Both sides of the case has the opportunity to appeal (in a civil case) if both feel that the decision made by the judge was a mistake or in most cases the loosing side and in criminal cases only the defendant may appeal the verdict (The Appeals Process, 2012). 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Conditioning Approach to Promote Positive Classroom Behaviour

Question: Discuss about the Use of Operant Conditioning Approach to Promote Positive Classroom Behaviour. Answer: Operant Conditioning is a learning approach coined by B.F. Skinner, a behaviourist, which recommends change of the behaviour of an individual through the use of rewards as well as punishment. The term operant as used by Skinner implies an active behaviour portrayed by an individual which operates with the given environment to generate consequences. This approach associates the behaviour of the individual and the consequences that come along as a result of that behaviour (Ajzen, 2011). Skinner maintained that it is not possible to examine the internal thoughts of an individual and motivations to enable us explain why the individual is behaving in a certain manner. He recommends through this theory of Operand Conditioning that in order to understand the behaviour of an individual, we should focus our attention on the external causes of human behaviour that is observable. The focal point of this theory is on how the consequences of the actions portrayed by individuals influenced their behaviour. This theory offers an explanation on the range of learned that are learned that we exhibit in our day-to-day lives (Kazdin, 2012). It is premised on the believe that actions that are accompanied by reinforcements such as rewards will be strengthened and encouraged to keep happening whereas those actions that are strengthened by negative reinforcements such as punishments are less likely to reoccur. This theory is suitable and can be used by Jane, a teacher who teaches Primary 5 students. The students display operant behaviour by engaging in activities that are under their conscious control. The behaviour of the students characterised by lack of participation in the classroom discussions and failure of the students to complete assignments and homework makes Jane to find it hard managing these group of students (Heimlich Ardoin, 2008). Moreover, the students are inactive and just stare at the teacher whenever asked questions making it difficult for Jane in handling them. To change the consequences brought about by the unpleasant behaviour of the students, Jane will find the Operant Conditioning theory very relevant and suitable. The logic behind this theory that makes it suitable for the teacher is changing the behaviour of the students by use of rewards as well as punishments. To change the behaviour of her students, it is of essence that teacher Jane understands the existing difference between positive reinforcement and punishment. The purpose of using positive reinforcement is to increase the chances of a desired behaviour and encourage the students to indulge in positive behaviour such as answering questions in the classroom as well as doing home works and class assignments (Gneezy, et al. 2011). Some of the most common rewards teacher Jane can use to promote classroom participation and doing of assignments is to give rewards such as prizes, praises or treats. Teacher Jane should also use punishment as a reinforcement mechanism to reduce the chances of the students indulging in undesirable behaviour such as failure to do assignments and participate in the classroom (Weiten, 2007). To promote a suitable classroom environment and manage the behaviour of the students more effectively, Jane should focus more on using positive reinforcement as opposed to punishments and consequences. Nonetheless it is advisable that Jane makes the punishments and consequences known to the students as a way of deterring them from engaging in negative behaviour (Johnston, et al. 2010). For instance, students should be made aware of the consequences and punishments that will come along as a result of failure to do homework, class assignments as well as failure to participate in the classroom during lessons. In ensuring positive behaviour among her students, Jane ought to be cautious to ensure that the methods she employs are delivered in the right way and are geared towards ensuring that it is only the behaviour of the student being dealt with and not the student who exhibits the behaviour. In coming up with the behaviour management strategies, it is essential for Jane to ensure that the strategies used are able to address specific needs of the specific individuals. This is because the behaviour of students are based on specific individual circumstances that may not be common to all hence the teacher should ensure that the behaviour management strategies used are respectful as well as specific to each student (Stone, et al. 2009). The punishment adopted by the teacher should be directly linked to the behaviour exhibited by the student. For instance, students who do not answer questions in the classroom should be asked questions and made to answer. The punishment will serve no purpose if the student who fails to answer questions in the classroom is made to pick rubbish after the lesson (Olson, 2015). Similarly, the consequences to be paid by the students of teacher Jane whether negative or positive should be consistently and immediately applied once the behaviour is exhi bited. According to Operant Conditioning theory, Jane should not use the consequence to obtain control and power over the student but rather, the consequence should be used to guide the student and enable them understand the reason as to why their behaviour is deemed inappropriate, how to deviate from the negative behaviour and behave correctly as well as the importance of behaving in a correct manner (Pritchard, 2013). Components of Operant Conditioning approaches that Jane should use Reinforcement These are the events that encourage the behaviour engaged in by the students. There are two types of reinforcement that Jane can use to change the behaviour of the students in her classroom. They include Use of positive reinforcement To promote good behaviour among her students, Jane should adopt the use of positive reinforcement. These entail using favourable events and outcomes as a reward for good behaviour. This encourages the students who do well to continue doing even better while at the same time, encourages those who engage in unpleasant behaviour to envy and copy from those who behave well (Ivey, et al. 2011). For instance, Jane can promote and encourage participation among her students by praising those who answer questions in her classroom using sweet words such as well done, excellent as well as acknowledging good behaviour such as class participation by asking other members of the classroom to clap for those who answer the questions. Similarly, she can administer gifts such as sweets and candies to those who do their homework and class assignments as well as to those who actively participate in the classroom. Positive reinforcement can also entail application of good teaching methods. The reason behind lack of participation among the students of Jane could be due to the lack of understanding of the concepts being taught as well as dislike for the manner in which Jane presents herself in the classroom. Therefore, change of teaching tactics could act as a positive reinforcement that will boost class participation and make it easier for Jane to manage her students (Mazur, 2015). For instance, Jane should alter the pace she uses in her teaching to cater for the interests of the slow learners. Similarly, use of teaching techniques such as grouping the students placing slow learners in groups with fast learners will boost the confidence among the students and encourage their participation in the classroom. Negative reinforcement To encourage change of behaviour among her students, Jane can also use negative reinforcement. This entails the withdrawal of an unfavourable event or outcome immediately it is noticed that the students are engaged in unpleasant behaviour. For instance, one of the reasons as to why Janes students fail to do their homework is watching movies. Jane can talk to the parents of her students to draw a timetable whereby time for watching movies is reduced and introduce study time among the students while at home (Mitchell, et al. 2009). Nonetheless, it is essence that in such withdrawal, the students are made to understand the reason why such a measure is taken and not make it appear as if it is a way of parents exercising control over the children. Punishment Punishment is also a good mechanism which Jane can use to promote change of behaviour among her students. This entails presenting an adverse event or outcome to the students that will reduce the negative behaviour. There are types of punishment that Jane can use to improve the level of class participation among her students and ensure that the students do their assignments and home works (Richey, et al. 2010). These punishments include; Positive punishment Through the use of positive punishment, Jane will be able to reduce the response that comes as a result of introduction of an unfavourable event or outcome. For instance, to ensure that no student fails to do assignments and homework, Jane should embrace the use of punishment by application such as giving more assignments to those who fail to do the assignment given to them. This will make them desist from the behaviour of not doing the tasks assignment due to the fear of being given more tasks to accomplish. Negative punishment To ensure responsible class participation and doing of tasks assigned, Jane can withdraw a favourable event or outcome from the students. For instance, the students can be barred from going out for break until they answer questions. Weaknesses and Strengths of Operant Conditioning in classroom management The use of both negative and positive reinforcement leads to a change of behaviour among learners in a classroom. However, the reinforcement works effectively when accompanied by verbal validation which enables the student know why they are being rewarded or punished. Through verbal validation, the student is able to receive further instructions that help them perform better in the classroom. Albert Bandura in his theory of Social Learning maintains that children behave in a certain manner as a result of how they see others behave within the society. If those around them portray pleasant behaviour, then the child is likely to imitate and behave in similar pleasant behaviour (Horowitz, 2014). On the other hand, if the adult engages in unpleasant behaviour, the child will most likely engage in a similar manner since they imitate the adults and from those around them. Operant Conditional theory by Skinner is more suitable to a learning environment than this theory by Bandura. This is because, in his theory, Skinner acknowledges that children are likely to engage in unpleasant behaviour due to varied factors. However, Skinner unlike Bandura offers a solution that if applied will see the children who have adapted unpleasant behaviour due to several factors such as social learning change to pleasant behaviour through reinforcement. Nonetheless, this theory could make children to be materialistic and irresponsible at the same time. The child only works heard or engages in good behaviour due to the prospect for a reward or fear of punishment but not out of their own drive and sense of responsibility. Immediately such reinforcement is withdrawn, there are high chances of such a child engaging in worst behaviour. Erikson in his theory of Social and Emotional Development points out the various stages through which an individual passes through as they develop. He also points out the significance of social experiences of the individual in the various stages of development and how the social experience shapes the behaviour of an individual as they develop (Mazur, 2015). His theory contradicts Operant Conditioning theory which maintains that the behaviour of an individual is shaped through reinforcements both negative and positive. However, Opera Conditioning approach criticized from the point of view Eriksons Social and Emotional Development theory, it fails to explain the genesis of the behaviour of an individual. Instead, it only explains how behaviour can be changed from unpleasant to pleasant through reinforcement. Piaget in his researches concentrated on adolescents and observed that the behaviour of children is determined by age where he observed that children in the same age bracket portrayed similar behaviour. Criticizing the theory of Operant Conditioning from Piagets perspective, reinforcement makes the child not to portray their original behaviour. The individual adopts a fake behaviour for the sake of reinforcement. References Ajzen, I. (2011). Theory of planned behavior. Handb Theor Soc Psychol Vol One, 1(2011), 438. Gneezy, U., Meier, S., Rey-Biel, P. (2011). When and why incentives (don't) work to modify behavior. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 25(4), 191-209. Horowitz, F. D. (2014). Exploring developmental theories: Toward a structural/behavioral model of development. Psychology Press. Heimlich, J. E., Ardoin, N. M. (2008). Understanding behavior to understand behavior change: A literature review. Environmental education research, 14(3), 215-237. Ivey, A. E., D'Andrea, M. J., Ivey, M. B. (2011). Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Multicultural Perspective: A Multicultural Perspective. Sage. Johnston, J. M., Pennypacker, H. S., Green, G. (2010). Strategies and tactics of behavioral research. Routledge. Kazdin, A. E. (2012). Behavior modification in applied settings. Waveland Press. Mazur, J. E. (2015). Learning and behavior. Psychology Press. Mitchell, C. J., De Houwer, J., Lovibond, P. F. (2009). The propositional nature of human associative learning. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32(02), 183-198. Olson, M. H. (2015). An introduction to theories of learning. Psychology Press. Pritchard, A. (2013). Ways of learning: Learning theories and learning styles in the classroom. Routledge. Richey, R. C., Klein, J. D., Tracey, M. W. (2010). The instructional design knowledge base: Theory, research, and practice. Routledge. Stone, D. N., Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M. (2009). Beyond talk: Creating autonomous motivation through self-determination theory. Journal of General Management, 34(3), 75. Weiten, W. (2007). Psychology: Themes and variations: Themes and variations. Cengage Learning.

Unnatural Causes In Sickness and in Wealth Essay Example

Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth Essay I want to first start off by saying that I really enjoyed the short film Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth. The video captured so many things that appears to be wrong in our society today, that were evident many years ago as well. It makes you wonder if we are progressing as a society or continuing to be at a stand still. Dr. Adewale begins with this idea known as individual responsibility, but always refers to this notion in the context of social determinants. He links the two together because one cannot have individual responsibility without taking into account social determinants. When promoting individual responsibility one has to consider the environment and everything around them including the access to health care services, education, and even job opportunities, hence the notion of social determinants. According to Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth (2008) â€Å"Our ability to avoid smoking and maintaining a healthy diet depends internally on our access to income, education, and what we call the social determinants of health† (Unnatural Causes, 2008). Meaning, we can’t solely rely on individual responsibility when we have so many other factors contributing and influencing our daily life. If we were to exclude the social determinants aspect then as a society we would be relying on ourselves for everything. For instance, it is simply wrong to say that as individuals we are in charge of getting healthcare coverage for ourselves, acquiring a job, and education, when society has established these norms and set up a system that makes it difficult to only promote individual responsibility. We will write a custom essay sample on Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Unnatural Causes: In Sickness and in Wealth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The video also makes a great point by stating, â€Å"There are ways in which our society is organized that are bad for our health† (Unnatural Causes, 2008). That is mind blowing but also so evident. Society brings into our presence things like having fast food restaurants on every corner, but establishing farmers markets so far

Essay on The Economics of Organizational Architecture

Essay on The Economics of Organizational Architecture Essay on The Economics of Organizational Architecture Essay on The Economics of Organizational ArchitectureWhat are the three aspects of corporate organization according to the article? Which one is in your view most important to the success of the firm? Explain.According to Brickley, Smith and Zimmerman (1995), three critical aspects of corporate organization include the assignment of decision rights within the firm, the structure of the system to evaluate the performance of both individuals and business units, the methods of rewarding individuals (pp.21-22). Each of these aspects is needed for organizational functioning and, moreover, these aspects are interdependent and form a three-legged stool so it is difficult to choose one most important aspect.If it is essential to choose one of these aspects, then the most important is, in my opinion, the assignment of decision rights within the firm. If the decision rights are distributed in a right way (and the persons responsible for the decision-making are competent), then these people mig ht introduce a reasonable system for evaluating performance and adopt efficient methods of rewarding individuals. However, without a reasonable assignment of decision rights within the firm the companys operations might suffer and the remaining critical aspects of corporate organization are not likely to be maintained.Explain in which industries franchising has established itself as a more successful form of business organization (compared to small independently owned companies) and why.Franchising established itself as a more successful form of business organization in such industries as fast food, hospitality, auto repair, retail (such as clothes, specialty items and foods, etc.), fitness, child care, spa services, tutoring. These industries have several things in common customers might use them in different places and locations, customers are willing to see the same standards of quality and service, customers want to know what to expect from the company, customers want to use lo yalty programs and want to be rewarded for frequent use of services or purchase of products. The businesses with the above-mentioned characteristics are likely to have more franchises compared to other types of businesses.

9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips for Small Businesses On July 10, 2014, Social Media Examiner quoted me in their compilation article 9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips From the Pros. Since I often receive questions about how companies can use LinkedIn for their marketing efforts, I thought it would be valuable to share this post with you. If you are a job seeker, all but the first of these tips apply to you! Here’s what you’ll learn about strategies to boost your LinkedIn marketing: Use LinkedIn Sponsored Updates to build credibility and exposure. Use LinkedIn’s analytics to make sure you’re getting sufficient value from your investment. (I have not used this feature but it might be the right strategy for some businesses.) Add Rich Visual Content to Your LinkedIn Profile to spice up its look and feel! Implement Influence Networking (Build real, personalized, ongoing relationships) to stand out from your competitors. Offer Value in Discussion Groups (Provide quality content to prospective buyers) to establish thought leadership and trust. Optimize Your Personal Profile (How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile is a great start for this!) Tag Your Connections in Posts using the @ symbol followed by the person’s name. Focus on Small, Local Discussion Groups to make the biggest impact with your discussion participation (this was my contribution to the article!) Develop Relationships Instead of Adding Connections, through both your personal and company pages. Don’t Treat LinkedIn Like an Online Version of Your Resume – instead, be creative with your presentation of what you can do for your customers. Sell yourself based on the problems you can solve. (If you are a job seeker, you might be thinking you need to have an online version of your resume. But you can take a creative approach rather than create a carbon copy on LinkedIn. Consider what will sell you the best to a prospective employer and write your profile that way!) For expanded information on each one of these points, check out the full article at 9 LinkedIn Marketing Tips From the Pros. And if you’re a small business looking for ongoing LinkedIn marketing support, please contact us at teesupport@theessayexpert.com. We have experts we can refer you to!

American History - 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

American History - 11 - Essay Example In December 1965 King was chosen by NAACP to spearhead the Montgomery Bus Boycott. His inspirational oratory energized the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. The campaign succeeded after 382 days: Montgomery repealed the law mandating segregated public transportation. In January 1957, in the aftermath of this victory, Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, and 60 ministers and civil rights activists founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which adopted a campaign of non-violent protests to promote civil rights reform. The SCLC conducted meetings on enfranchisement and King gave nation-wide talks on racism. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, King made non-violent activism the keystone of his policy. In 1960, King encouraged the student â€Å"sit-in† movement in several Southern cities, and coordinated the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. King was now a national celebrity and the symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.   On August 28, 1963, King led the mammoth ‘March on Washington’ which drew more than 200,000 people to the Lincoln Memorial. It was here that King made his famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech, asserting his belief in the brotherhood of all men. He played a pivotal role in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandating desegregation of public accommodations and in publicly owned facilities and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.He received the Nobel Peace Prize for 1964. He was assassinated by  James Earl Ray, a former convict, in Memphis on April 4, 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. may be considered one of the greatest personalities who shaped the American Civil Rights Movement. 1. 27-3 Brown vs Board of Education of Topeka served as the turning point in the constitutional battle against segregation. Plessy v. Ferguson  (1896) legalized separate but equal school systems for blacks and whites. By rejecting the contention of the School Board that the

Aristotle's Ideas about Reality Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aristotle's Ideas about Reality - Article Example This fundamental difference between the thinking patterns of the two Greeks resulted in a dualistic approach to comprehend Reality, each with its own arguments and counter-arguments. Plato believed that the world is a timeless, ordered cosmos whose reality transcends the temporal and empirical manifestation of the concrete surroundings on Earth. He hypothesized the existence of Forms, or Ideas, which represent the true Reality of the universe, and which are found in the world which we perceive in a combination of various degrees at various instances. Each manifestation in the world has an Idea which transcends it. For example, a chair gets its property of being a chair through the transcendent Form of Chair, which represents the common quality among all chairs in the world. As we break the chair to make a stool, the degree of Chair in that element decreases, and the degree of Stool (the transcendent Idea of Stool) in the element increases, till a point, is reached when the ‘Sto ol’ property (rather, Stooges) of that element overcomes the ‘Chair’ property (or rather, Chairness). At this point, the element transforms from a chair into a stool, and this is all due to the ‘Ideas’ which manifest themselves in that element. In such a way, Plato perceived, there were ideas for everything evident in the world, which was the pure representation of that quality. The Form of Beauty was pure beauty which manifested itself in various elements on the Earth to a varying degree.

Sympathetic Background in Wuthering Heights Essay Example for Free

Sympathetic Background in Wuthering Heights Essay How does Emily Bronte use sympathetic background in Volume One to convey tragedy? Volume One contains a jittery narrative which is a mark of Bronte’s ominous style from which tragic events occur. With this jumping between events, there is an obvious foreshadowing of tragedy through a combination of pathetic fallacy, emotional symbolism and sympathetic background. Sympathetic background is the literary device where the surroundings mirror, mimic or elope with the emotions of the characters in it. Sympathetic background is especially evident when Bronte uses much of the settings of Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights to convey the feelings of the characters within. The use of sympathetic background can be seen as early as the first chapter, in which the Heath is described. Bronte uses â€Å"Wuthering† in the sense that it’s a â€Å"significant provincial narrative, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather.† This sets the tone for the beginning of the novel and the turmoil many of the characters have to endure in order to achieve some kind of parity. This view is embossed with â€Å"stunted firs† and â€Å"large jutting stones†. She uses the image of â€Å"gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving the alms of the sun†, depicting a sense of the Heights always being shrouded in darkness, never fully escaping it. The other effect of it is the idea of zombies, the undead, craving some kind of human energy to survive, a yearning for balance. Sympathetic background at times is used to display to the reader the time at which the novel is written. Bronte’s first volume doesn’t get to grips with chronological exactitude, more discarding it in favour of letting the story unfold through the reader’s intellect and piecing the narrative together. Use of the background is most evident where the settings outside are the markers of what season the dwellers must endure, whether it is a harsh storm or a serene backdrop on the Yorkshire moors, overlapping with pathetic fallacy at times to evoke tragic consequences of unruly actions. Chapter 2, Lockwood’s return to the Heights is marked with unwelcome gestures on behalf of Heathcliff et al. As the tension heightens, the blizzard outside gets continually worse. The surroundings are mimicking the emotions  of the characters, with Heathcliff mistaking the dead â€Å"heap of rabbits for a cushion full of cats† is black humour employed by Bronte to show Lockwood being unsettled. The following chapter, the writings on the wall and the palimpsest bemuses Lockwood in his quarters, with his following dreams a symbolic foreshadowing . The background brings about changes in the novel and sometimes can redirect the narrative towards another focus. This psychoanalytical part of the novel defies the boundary between the rational and irrational, the self and the world through dreaming. The product of this is a underlying statement that there are far deeper meanings that what we can see and touch, which becomes a cyclical allusion at the end of the novel. The tone after the death of Mr Earnshaw is bitter and unequal as the power struggle between Earnshaw and Hindley takes place. After returning with Frances in Chapter 6, the rivalry between the two become more feral and raw, with Heathcliff at one point being locked outside by Joseph, after being instructed to do so by Hindley. He is forced into the barn, bringing him down to the lowest level possible. After being found of the streets of Liverpool, he is back in muck and squalor, with the background mimicking the feeling that he’s in the doldrums for his sins, and after being described as â€Å"devilish†, this helps to enforce the psychoanalytic perspective that he is and represents the power of the devil in its human form, condemned to hell. This chapter also gives Heathcliff his first major speech, from which he scorns â€Å"I’d not exchange, for a thousand lives, my condition here, for Edgar Linton’s at Thrushcross Grange-not if I might have the privilege of flinging Joseph off the highest gable, and painting the house-front with Hindley’s blood!†. These graphic, gothic lines show his emotional bonds with the Heights, that he and the Heights share each others’ feelings in times of hardship and struggle. It’s showing that both houses are representative of classes, from a Marxist perspective. The natural power of the Heights is matched by the moral power of the Grange. This balance turns into another struggle in Chapter 8, this time between Heathcliff and Edgar Linton. With Catherine caught in a trap of whether to follow her heart or her head, with Heathcliff pressuring Catherine into giving into him, who is then distraught when he overhears a conversation  between her and Nelly, hears the wrong part, then running off. The conversation by the fire with Nelly isn’t as covert as planned, as the surroundings, the howling gale outside influence the characters. Uttering the cutting line â€Å"I am Heathcliff†, she is distraught as he gallops away. With her new found opulence, the new Misses Linton is beset by woe 5 years on when Heathcliff returns to the Grange in Chapter 10. This immense jubilation is matched by despair as Heathcliff chooses Isabella to get back at Catherine. This blending of classes, attitudes and houses can only end one way in a Marxist perspective; tragedy. Nelly returns to the Heights to see it in decay, with Hindley in a similar fashion. The surroundings once again mimic the state of the characters. As Hindley’s life lies in decay, the Heights follows. The last chapter switches time to the present, with Lockwood â€Å"trying† not to fall in love with the current Cathy. The surroundings now have evolved, but Heathcliff is still stuck in a rut at the Heights. Bronte’s use of the literary device of sympathetic background perfectly befits the characters and surroundings in Wuthering Heights, setting the tone and giving the characters another layer and more depth within the novel. With both houses representing natural and moral values respectively, and the unpredictable moors showing the irrational temperament of each of the characters, the device effectively utilises all the ominous events and foreboding symbols in Volume One to convey tragedy.

Gus in James Duncans The River Why Essay -- James Duncan River Why Es

Gus in James Duncan's The River Why James Duncan’s book entitled, The River Why, focuses around the main character, Gus, and how he changes throughout the book. In this book Gus is discovering what life really is and that the whole world does not revolve around fishing. After moving out of his erratic house he spends all of his time fishing at his remote cabin, but this leaves him unhappy and a little insane. He embarks on a search for him self and for his own beliefs. Duncan changes Gus throughout the book, making Gus realize that there are more important things to life than fishing, and these things can lead to a happy fulfilled life, which in turn will help Gus enjoy life and fishing more. Duncan introduces a character, Eddy, who significantly changes Gus’s views on what he needs in his life and she gives Gus a sense of motivation or inspiration. Eddy changes Gus by their first encounter with each other, when Eddy instills in Gus a need to fulfill his life and when they meet up again, completing his ne ed. Fishing is Gus’s first passion but he loses it after he puts all of himself into it, and when Eddy comes into his picture Gus feels a need to have more in his life, like love. Through finding love he re-finds his passion for fishing and learns more about himself. When Eddy and Gus finally get together, he sees this â€Å"equilibrium† between his old passion, fishing, and his new one, Eddy. Duncan’s use of Eddy gives Gus a new found sense of purpose and to have a more fulfilled life is a critical step in Gus’s development as a character. This is why Eddy is the most important character to this book, because she gives Gus inspiration to find himself. On their first encounter with one another Gus is compelled by her differences in dress, techniques and gear. After she leaves, Gus feels a â€Å"need† to fulfill his empty life. Finally when she shows back up in his life, Gus then has everything he could ever ask for: a beautiful woman who loves to fish, just like him. He explains how he first sees Eddy on page 151 as: â€Å"A barefoot girl. A full-grown one. One who wore the top tenth or so of what had long ago been a pair of blue jeans. One who wore a short, skin-tight, sleeveless sky-colored t-shirt through †¦which revealed the shape of the†¦Ã¢â‚¬  After sneaking his way up to the tree where she sat â€Å"motionless†, not noticing Gus, his attention is diverted, if not comp... ...fter hearing stories of Gus the great fisherman. Eddy sees more in Gus than she thought she would, so she decides to come back the next day to talk. The next day she gives Gus a plan that he must follow of catching a fish with her techniques. He finds his equilibrium on page 274 â€Å"Equilibrium derived from a kind of inner balance: it transmitted itself from the soul to the mind, and from the mind to the body, and when a man possessed of it put his hand to an art or craft he was capable of unheard of feats.† Gus’s equilibrium was his love for Eddy and he states on the same page â€Å"Why shouldn’t love be my Equilibrium? Why shouldn’t love be the forceless force running through the wound and into the fish? Couldn’t love create that sacred balance? Wouldn’t love dissolve all stress?†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eddy also changes as person because she stays longer and longer with Gus, doing all sorts of things together, eventually marrying Gus. They both find their equilibrium in each other. Gus re-finds his fishing passion through Eddy, but looks on everything in a whole different way. Eddy gave Gus motivation to know himself and he fulfills the emptiness. He got the two loves of his life: fishing and Eddy.

Ronald Reagan – Psychological Eval

He has been called the most significant President of the 20th century. Ronald Reagan’s devotion to the American people and his unwavering commitment to managing both domestic and foreign affairs with sincerity, composure and efficiency provided a beacon of hope in an era that was marked by economic turmoil on the homefront and an impending threat of nuclear war. An analysis of Reagan’s life history, from a psychological standpoint, seeks to reveal the significant factors and influential events that may shed light on how he acquired the distinctive characteristics and how the interplay of how these factors subsequently shaped the extraordinary person he became. It is necessary to consider the influence of heredity, certain family issues, social systems and environment on psychological development. Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in the small midwestern town of Tampico, Illinois to Nell (mother) and Jack (father) and older brother Neil. Jack Reagan was a salesman, a staunch Irish- Catholic, a Democrat, despised bigotry and racial discrimination, supported blue collar workers and instilled in his sons the same values. Possibly more influential to Ronald’s psychological development was that his father was also an alcoholic (Gilbert, 2007). This was very difficult aspect of Reagan’s childhood and he struggled to cope with his reality and make sense of his father’s behavior. Ronald's mother, Nelle was a very patient and nurturing woman who doted on her sons. She can be credited for familiarizing Ronald to theater and the stage by sharing with him her love of acting, as she was an actress herself. Being on stage and performing proved to be enjoyable for Ronald, so much so that he went on to star in various Hollywood movies. He even confessed that, â€Å"for a kid suffering childhood pangs of insecurity, the applause was music† (Will, 1990). She made a concerted effort to help them recognize that their fathers alcoholism, while upsetting and hard to understand, was a disease. Nelle was sympathetic in helping her sons deal with their father’s affliction and urged them not to blame their father for succumbing to the disease. She functioned as the constant source of unconditional loving care that seemed to lessen, though not completely diminish, the impact of Jack’s disease (Gilbert, 2007). She reminded her sons how evident their father’s love was when he was not drinking and helped them to maintain love and respect for their father in spite of his weakness. Nelle was a faithfully eligious woman and frequently made visits to families in need, the sick and went out of her way to lend a helping hand to anyone she was able help. Her generosity, kindness and unconditional love had a profound impact on her sons and masked some of the pain and disillusionment associated with their fathers’ alcoholism (Gilbert, 2007). For Reagan, growing up in an environment marked by the staggering paradox of his parents left an indelible impact on his life. His mother was the dependable parent who provided consistent love and guidance. In contrast, Jack Reagan’s alcoholism caused his sons considerable grief and confusion as to why he was unable to conquer his disease. Nelle Reagan wanted to protect her sons by rationalizing Jack’s behavior hoping they would not develop resentment towards their father. These efforts by Nelle, while well intentioned, served to create the illusion that the Reagan home environment was less dysfunctional than it truly was. According to Psychodynamic Theory, her behavior could be interpreted as reflective of an unconscious need to protect her children. Making a consistent effort to assure her sons that their father was the victim of a disease and powerless against his alcoholism could be classified as an illustration of both denial and rationalization. Denial is defined as, â€Å"the persons refusal to acknowledge external realities or emotions† (Kowalski and Westen, 2009). Rationalization can be identified as, â€Å"explaining away actions in a seemingly logical way to avoid uncomfortable feelings† (Kowalski and Westen, 2009). The Reagan family moved many times as a result of Jack’s inability to maintain work. This made it difficult for Ronald to build friendships which inevitably took a toll on his social skills as a boy and his ability to have meaningful relationships as an adult. As a child, Ronald Reagan was an introverted child with low self esteem (Gilbert, 2007). This is highly characteristic of children with alcoholic parents. Many individuals in Reagan’s close knit inner circle observed his reluctance, even inability, to sustain intimate and meaningful relationships with very many individuals. This is consistent to what research suggests about children who grow up in families in which at least one of the parents is an alcoholic. According to an article in the International Journal of Social Sciences and General Studies, â€Å"since the family is the context in which children usually learn to express their feelings, to love and express affection and to trust and share intimate aspects of their lives; it is understandable that many adult children of alcoholics have significant problems with psychosocial adjustment. They show extreme difficulty in sharing themselves in intimate ways with other people† (2010). It seems unlikely that Ronald Reagan, or any child who endures such unfortunate experiences, would ultimately be an actor or the president of the United States! However, the attention that Reagan sought was passive attention. He did not necessarily have to interact with audience members or constituents on a level that forced him to create any intimate, personal bond with these persons. Rather, he was able to operate from a secluded platform where he was able to control people’s perceptions of him. While he proved to be an effective leader and loved President, his childhood and subsequent development were certainly noticeable and undoubtedly affected how he operated as the leader of the free world.

Patience and Courage

At first glance, it might seem that patience and courage are dispositions that tend in different directions, reflecting different strengths. If we are asked to imagine exemplars of each of these virtues, we probably call two very different individuals to mind—the courageous person imposing, heroic, probably male, and the patient person quiet, reserved, quite likely female. (After all, Ancient Greek courage simply was the virtue of manliness (andreia), and the Victorians used to name their daughters Patience.)Some of our images of courage may even positively conflict with some of our images of patience, with the courageous person insisting upon action while the patient person implores him to wait. In his wonderful paper, â€Å"Patience and Courage† (Philosophy 68(266), 1993), Eamonn Callan begins with a sort of thought experiment intended to capture our intuitive–though he thinks mistaken–sense of the relative significance of patience and courage: Suppose y our friends had to ascribe a single vice to you in large measure, along with any virtues that could be coherently combined with that salient vice.Suppose further that the vice had to be either cowardice or impatience. Which would you choose? (p. 523) Callan suspects that â€Å"almost everyone would choose impatience without hesitation,† because a coward strikes us as an unreliable kind of person, and impatience itself might in some cases be a good thing, e. g. impatience with tyranny and injustice. Callan goes on to argue against this intuitive response, in that it underestimates the need for patience (an idea I have explored in previous posts), and also suggests that a more nuanced thinking about courage and patience shows that these virtues do not essentially conflict.This should not be so surprising if we think, as Aquinas does, of patience as a part of fortitude, and recognize fortitude itself as the core of courage (or, as synonymous with courage). Of course, when we spe ak of fortitude, we speak of endurance, and talk of courage (or bravery) may seem instead to call to mind the â€Å"courage of the charge. † But charging, as Tim O'Brien notes in his memoir on Vietnam, is only a tiny slice of bravery–once one has charged into danger, there is much to be endured. Or consider this perhaps surprising remark from Kierkegaard's Purity ofHeart: â€Å"Is patience not precisely that courage which voluntarily accepts unavoidable suffering? The unavoidable is just the thing which will shatter courage† (p. 173). Interestingly (as the translator notes), the Danish for patience taalmod contains the term for courage (mod). (Literally, taalmod is â€Å"enduring courage. â€Å") Kierkegaard connects patience to â€Å"unavoidable suffering† and thus implies that courage differs in that in courage we choose to put ourselves in the way of danger and adversity for a noble cause.And he discusses how it may seem then that there can be no vir tue in enduring adversity that is unavoidable and which, it seems, cannot be chosen. (If it's unavoidable, then there seems to be no real choice. ) Here, he imagines the mocking voice of someone who says that this â€Å"patience† is merely â€Å"making a virtue out of necessity,† and Kierkegaard replies, yes, that's exactly it! His point is that merely being saddled with unavoidable suffering or adversity does not imply that we will, as it were, shoulder that adversity in such a way that we remain committed to the Good.We may despair, or become bitter and resentful, angry at the world. Of course, it may be that since Kierkegaard is a theist, he can assume that there is some way in which any suffering thrown at us can possibly be endured well. Non-theists may not have grounds for the same hope. But let me put that, for now, to the side. (I hope to write a chapter about this issue in the future. ) Callan discusses a case that goes to Kierkegaard's point: a man loses his sight, and vacillates between despair and rage, who thinks that the possibility of a good life has vanished.It is not that he fails to learn how to get around in the world in spite of his blindness, but his life is devoid of all hope and joy because of the deep resentment he has about having become blind. He refuses to accept this unavoidable part of his life. Callan says, â€Å"The blind man in my story has no patience for the moral task his blindness has set him, and no amount of courage or fortitude can compensate for the absence of that virtue† (p. 526). Now here, there are interpretive difficulties, since I suggested above that we might see courage and patience as linked by fortitude. Here we might takeCallan to be treating fortitude as a kind of thickness of skin, the stoniness we might ascribe to the Stoic sage: he is in despair, but doesn't show it. I have argued in my essay â€Å"In Defense of Patience† (newly revised as of yesterday), that perhaps we should q uestion the idea that fortitude and patience can be pulled apart very far, that we should not reduce fortitude to the external appearance. (Otherwise, we can't distinguish genuine fortitude and endurance from mere psychic deadness. ) Callan's point–at any rate–is that the possibility of this man's seeing and seeking Good in his life depends upon his coming to accept his blindness.Why call that patience? Perhaps what I said about love and patience in a previous post provides part of an answer, especially if we can translate some of what I said about learning to love another person into talk of learning to love one's situation. (This is what Chris Cowley's â€Å"Learning to Love† is all about, in Philosophical Topics 38(1), 2010. ) Here, we come to accept the distance between our new condition and our previous one, and re-commit to living well (and not merely, as Cowley discusses, â€Å"making the best of it†).We can call this patience, but at the same time , I think we can see, pace Callan to some extent, that such a process may in any number of cases also involve the kind of strength we describe as courage. People who are seriously injured and require extensive physical rehabilitation are sometimes praised for their courage in their efforts to endure the problems caused by their injuries, and to re-learn what they can, and to learn how to compensate for the abilities they have lost. Why call this courageous? First, there is the great endurance involved.Second, in such circumstances, we may be tempted to despair, to feel sorry for ourselves, and even be afraid to face our condition, afraid of failing, afraid to learn what our new physical limitations are, and afraid to think about living our lives, or returning to our everyday lives, beset with the problems incurred through our injuries. If we think of courage primarily as the (voluntary) facing of fears and dangers, then courage is involved in facing the fears above, but the need for patience is not very far behind. This isn't peculiar to this example, since many courageous acts are extended in time.Indeed, focusing on courageous acts that happen in an instant may obscure that many of our actions are in fact chains of action, stretches of activity, oriented toward some goal. Within such a stretch of time, the difference between a courageous and a rash action may come down to one's ability to wait and endure the anticipation of setting out into â€Å"positive† action. (And so, in many sports, great athletes are praised for their ability to â€Å"wait for the game to come to them†Ã¢â‚¬â€œnot to take bad swings or shots or to throw bad punches.Consider how Kobe Bryant will sometimes bide his time for three quarters only to dominate the final twelve minutes, or Ali's notorious â€Å"rope-a-dope† strategy for fatiguing his opponents. [Not that we should exactly recommend Ali's strategy to young boxers, for unfortunately obvious reasons of long-t erm health. ]) So, courage and patience turn out not to be foes, or to show that there is disharmony amongst the virtues. And again, we see how in its quiet, unassuming way, patience reveals itself to be something of a â€Å"silent partner† as we seek to develop other virtues and strengths.Courage Every human being on this planet is given the gift of courage. However, there are very few that ever take advantage of this gift, and actually put it to good use. Courage is the ability to work one’s way through a tough situation. Be it mental, or physical. We have all faced tough challenges before. The difference, however, is that some people tend to give up when the going gets rough, while others keep on. Courage is a necessity to the evolution of our people. Without courage, African-Americans would still be stuck in slavery.There would have been no one there to fight for the rights of the people we now consider our equals. Courage can be found in various forms. An amazing example of courage can be found in a soldier. They risk their lives every day simply to protect ours. We can even see courage in a fellow classmate; one who is coping with the loss of a parent, fighting depression or even dealing with an eating disorder. As said earlier, it can be mental or physical. Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities.Without it, every one of us may have given into that cigarette in the 6th grade. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person. Courage is of two kinds: physical and moral. The farmer is common to both man and beast; but the latter belongs to man alone. Courage comes from the strength of mind or will. Physical courage depends on one's physical strength. A weak; and sickly person is hardly seen to be physically courageous. Because his ill health does not permit him to take an aggressive view in life, although he may be mentally bold.But a person, who is bold and strong, both in body and mind, is normally found to be courageous. The question of physical courage arises in the event of any danger or difficulty that suddenly appears, when immediate protection or security from that fear of massacre or destruction demands physical courage. If a sudden fire breaks out in a house, or a dacoit is going to take place, physical courage becomes absolutely necessary in such critical moments. Without physical resistance with indomitable courage, it becomes impossible to save the situation.But moral courage is in no way inferior to the physical courage. It is, on the contrary, more important and glorious to possess moral courage. Moral courage is very rare. It is f0undl in one in a million. There are numerous instances where people have bravely used their physical courage and saved the life of a drowning man, or a house from burning in fire, by jumping courageously into the scene of danger. But there are few cas es, where the common people are found to open their mouth against an unfair or unjust deed that they witness, because they lack moral courage. They are cowards without a backbone.Noble may be the cause in which physical courage is shown; but nobler is the cause in which moral courage is displayed. Moral courage comes from a firm conviction that the possessor has in him. Let us take the case of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who is known for his noble character and moral courage. The man was highly educated, but hardly with any extraordinary physical strength; yet he was endowed with tremendous moral courage. He did not hesitate to raise his voice of protest or even insult the wicked Europeans who used to rule the country then with enormous  power.He had also ignored all sorts of humiliation in the hands of his own countrymen, when he was determined to get the Bill for ‘Hindu Widow Re-marriage' passed by the Government. That goes to show his wonderful determination, moral c ourage and noble character. Galileo, the great scientist, had also to suffer imprisonment in his old age for the sake of his conviction. Men of moral courage never barter away their conscience, but put it before liberty, before reputation, even before life. They think of no danger, nor of death, when the alternative is a disgrace.They hate more to live as cowards than to face prosecution, imprisonment or death. It is these men who are the true makers of history. It is they who live in honour, die in glory, and have the privileges of being adored by all Courage is summoning strength in the face of life's difficulties or, sometimes, life's horrors. It means proceeding in spite of pain, cost, or risk. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the deliberate decision that action is necessary regardless. Courage acknowledges uncertainty, but perseveres because of conviction and resolve.It offers us focus and self-possession so we can call up our competencies to meet our challenges. Courage is not necessarily an outward act of heroism; it can be purely internal, such as making the decision to be cheerful in grief, to adhere to values different from those around us, or to give something another try. hrough my own experiences in life I have been able to define the true meaning of courage. Courage is to have the ability to know wright from wrong and stand up for what you believe in even in the face of great adversity.In my lifetime I have rarely been called upon to display courage, but I clearly remember one specific situation. I was fourteen years old and at one of my friends birthday parties. There were around seventy-five teenagers at the party, along with loud music and dancing. What I thought was going to be a great night, turned out to be the night my courage would be tested. As I was talking to some of my friends I noticed something was wrong with them. Shortly after, I noticed that their behavior was different, I realized that I was smelling the scent of marijuan a.Before I knew it I was being offered some of their drugs. I thought about the consequences that were to come if I had said yes to their offer. I felt that if I had said yes, I would have let down so many people, but most importantly myself. Having courage gave me the will to say no to the drugs and walk away from the peer pressure. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose exemplify moral courage. Throughout the novel Atticus was portrayed as a man of great courage and integrity. Atticus had to discuss concepts with his daughter Scout when they were at Finch Landing.Scout wanted to know why Atticus was going to defend Tom Robinson if he already knew he was going to be defeated. Atticus then explained to Scout that, † simply because [Atticus and Scout] were licked a hundred years before [Atticus and Scout] started is no reason for [Atticus and Scout] not to try to win† (76). Atticus was demonstrating his courage by proving that no matter how hard things get, you should never give up, and that you should always fight for what you believe in. Atticus is shown as being courageous by demonstrating perseverance and standing up for what is right.Another example of how Atticus is courageous is when at Finch Landing, he explains to Scout that this time he knew that he was † Fighting [his] friends, and no matter how bitter things get, they are still [his] friends and this is still [his] home†(76). Atticus' explanation to Scout was important because he had to reassure her that no matter the outcome of the trial they would still have their friends and there home. Even with all the pressure to quit the case, Atticus was determined to go up against all odds to ensure that justice would prevail. Atticus was a courageous, determined, and compassionate man.Along with Atticus, Mrs. Dubose is another prime example of a courageous person. Mrs. Dubose demonstrated courage when she decided to give up her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose died a slow painful death and when she was on her death bed, Mrs. Dubose reminded Atticus carefully, † [Mrs. Dubose] was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody† (111). In this situation most people would not have been able to tolerate the pain and would have given in to the morphine. Mrs. Dubose could have easily chosen to take the morphine and die with out so much agonizing pain, but she was too contrary.Her moral courage helped her to overcome her addiction. Mrs. Dubose was not only a courageous but also a selfless person. Jem had to learn this about her the hard way. Atticus questioned Jem, â€Å"Son didn't you know what her fits were†(111)? Mrs. Dubose chose not to tell anyone that she had been trying to give up the morphine. The withdraw made her have anger fits. She did not want to burden anyone with her problems. Mrs. Dubose let everyone believe that she was an angry, old, mean, terrible person. Still need to finish conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. patienceHave you ever wondered why certain people succeed and do well in certain situations while others don’t? The reason is that those successful people have and have always had a certain characteristics that help them to do so. These characteristics are called virtues. A virtue is a characteristic of a person which supports individual moral excellence and collective well being. One of the most important virtues that helps individuals progress and succeed is patience. This is because patience helps one make good decisions, prevents one from giving up, and helps develop empathy and compassion.First and foremost patience helps us make good decisions. The reason for this is by being patient you have a clear mind to think through the possible results of your actions. Everyone has stress and has been in stressful situations but the way we respond to the stress is what defines our future success. In order to become successful people have had to ma ke tough decisions regarding their futures and without patience they would not have been able to do so. For example Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, made the decision to drop out of college in order to pursue his dreams of creating a software company.In its early stages he faced much adversity for his decision but he stuck with it and his patience helped him to become one of the wealthiest and most successful people ever. Along with decision making patience also prevents one from giving up. This is as a result of keeping your goals consistent regardless of how difficult or the time it takes to reach them. One of the greatest examples of success through patience Is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of the most influential people that have ever lived. Dr. King’s goal which was simple but seemed impossible at the time was to end discrimination and unify our nation ï » ¿Patience and Courage At first glance, it might seem that patience and courage are dispositions that tend in different directions, reflecting different strengths. If we are asked to imagine exemplars of each of these virtues, we probably call two very different individuals to mind—the courageous person imposing, heroic, probably male, and the patient person quiet, reserved, quite likely female. (After all, Ancient Greek courage simply was the virtue of manliness (andreia), and the Victorians used to name their daughters Patience.)Some of our images of courage may even positively conflict with some of our images of patience, with the courageous person insisting upon action while the patient person implores him to wait. In his wonderful paper, â€Å"Patience and Courage† (Philosophy 68(266), 1993), Eamonn Callan begins with a sort of thought experiment intended to capture our intuitive–though he thinks mistaken–sense of the relative significance of patience and courage: Suppose y our friends had to ascribe a single vice to you in large measure, along with any virtues that could be coherently combined with that salient vice.Suppose further that the vice had to be either cowardice or impatience. Which would you choose? (p. 523) Callan suspects that â€Å"almost everyone would choose impatience without hesitation,† because a coward strikes us as an unreliable kind of person, and impatience itself might in some cases be a good thing, e. g. impatience with tyranny and injustice. Callan goes on to argue against this intuitive response, in that it underestimates the need for patience (an idea I have explored in previous posts), and also suggests that a more nuanced thinking about courage and patience shows that these virtues do not essentially conflict.This should not be so surprising if we think, as Aquinas does, of patience as a part of fortitude, and recognize fortitude itself as the core of courage (or, as synonymous with courage). Of course, when we spe ak of fortitude, we speak of endurance, and talk of courage (or bravery) may seem instead to call to mind the â€Å"courage of the charge. † But charging, as Tim O'Brien notes in his memoir on Vietnam, is only a tiny slice of bravery–once one has charged into danger, there is much to be endured. Or consider this perhaps surprising remark from Kierkegaard's Purity ofHeart: â€Å"Is patience not precisely that courage which voluntarily accepts unavoidable suffering? The unavoidable is just the thing which will shatter courage† (p. 173). Interestingly (as the translator notes), the Danish for patience taalmod contains the term for courage (mod). (Literally, taalmod is â€Å"enduring courage. â€Å") Kierkegaard connects patience to â€Å"unavoidable suffering† and thus implies that courage differs in that in courage we choose to put ourselves in the way of danger and adversity for a noble cause.And he discusses how it may seem then that there can be no vir tue in enduring adversity that is unavoidable and which, it seems, cannot be chosen. (If it's unavoidable, then there seems to be no real choice. ) Here, he imagines the mocking voice of someone who says that this â€Å"patience† is merely â€Å"making a virtue out of necessity,† and Kierkegaard replies, yes, that's exactly it! His point is that merely being saddled with unavoidable suffering or adversity does not imply that we will, as it were, shoulder that adversity in such a way that we remain committed to the Good.We may despair, or become bitter and resentful, angry at the world. Of course, it may be that since Kierkegaard is a theist, he can assume that there is some way in which any suffering thrown at us can possibly be endured well. Non-theists may not have grounds for the same hope. But let me put that, for now, to the side. (I hope to write a chapter about this issue in the future. ) Callan discusses a case that goes to Kierkegaard's point: a man loses his sight, and vacillates between despair and rage, who thinks that the possibility of a good life has vanished.It is not that he fails to learn how to get around in the world in spite of his blindness, but his life is devoid of all hope and joy because of the deep resentment he has about having become blind. He refuses to accept this unavoidable part of his life. Callan says, â€Å"The blind man in my story has no patience for the moral task his blindness has set him, and no amount of courage or fortitude can compensate for the absence of that virtue† (p. 526). Now here, there are interpretive difficulties, since I suggested above that we might see courage and patience as linked by fortitude. Here we might takeCallan to be treating fortitude as a kind of thickness of skin, the stoniness we might ascribe to the Stoic sage: he is in despair, but doesn't show it. I have argued in my essay â€Å"In Defense of Patience† (newly revised as of yesterday), that perhaps we should q uestion the idea that fortitude and patience can be pulled apart very far, that we should not reduce fortitude to the external appearance. (Otherwise, we can't distinguish genuine fortitude and endurance from mere psychic deadness. ) Callan's point–at any rate–is that the possibility of this man's seeing and seeking Good in his life depends upon his coming to accept his blindness.Why call that patience? Perhaps what I said about love and patience in a previous post provides part of an answer, especially if we can translate some of what I said about learning to love another person into talk of learning to love one's situation. (This is what Chris Cowley's â€Å"Learning to Love† is all about, in Philosophical Topics 38(1), 2010. ) Here, we come to accept the distance between our new condition and our previous one, and re-commit to living well (and not merely, as Cowley discusses, â€Å"making the best of it†).We can call this patience, but at the same time , I think we can see, pace Callan to some extent, that such a process may in any number of cases also involve the kind of strength we describe as courage. People who are seriously injured and require extensive physical rehabilitation are sometimes praised for their courage in their efforts to endure the problems caused by their injuries, and to re-learn what they can, and to learn how to compensate for the abilities they have lost. Why call this courageous? First, there is the great endurance involved.Second, in such circumstances, we may be tempted to despair, to feel sorry for ourselves, and even be afraid to face our condition, afraid of failing, afraid to learn what our new physical limitations are, and afraid to think about living our lives, or returning to our everyday lives, beset with the problems incurred through our injuries. If we think of courage primarily as the (voluntary) facing of fears and dangers, then courage is involved in facing the fears above, but the need for patience is not very far behind. This isn't peculiar to this example, since many courageous acts are extended in time.Indeed, focusing on courageous acts that happen in an instant may obscure that many of our actions are in fact chains of action, stretches of activity, oriented toward some goal. Within such a stretch of time, the difference between a courageous and a rash action may come down to one's ability to wait and endure the anticipation of setting out into â€Å"positive† action. (And so, in many sports, great athletes are praised for their ability to â€Å"wait for the game to come to them†Ã¢â‚¬â€œnot to take bad swings or shots or to throw bad punches.Consider how Kobe Bryant will sometimes bide his time for three quarters only to dominate the final twelve minutes, or Ali's notorious â€Å"rope-a-dope† strategy for fatiguing his opponents. [Not that we should exactly recommend Ali's strategy to young boxers, for unfortunately obvious reasons of long-t erm health. ]) So, courage and patience turn out not to be foes, or to show that there is disharmony amongst the virtues. And again, we see how in its quiet, unassuming way, patience reveals itself to be something of a â€Å"silent partner† as we seek to develop other virtues and strengths.Courage Every human being on this planet is given the gift of courage. However, there are very few that ever take advantage of this gift, and actually put it to good use. Courage is the ability to work one’s way through a tough situation. Be it mental, or physical. We have all faced tough challenges before. The difference, however, is that some people tend to give up when the going gets rough, while others keep on. Courage is a necessity to the evolution of our people. Without courage, African-Americans would still be stuck in slavery.There would have been no one there to fight for the rights of the people we now consider our equals. Courage can be found in various forms. An amazing example of courage can be found in a soldier. They risk their lives every day simply to protect ours. We can even see courage in a fellow classmate; one who is coping with the loss of a parent, fighting depression or even dealing with an eating disorder. As said earlier, it can be mental or physical. Courage is the only thing that gets us through the hard times, and the tempting opportunities.Without it, every one of us may have given into that cigarette in the 6th grade. Courage is vital to the evolution of the human population. It is also an essential quality to becoming a successful person. Courage is of two kinds: physical and moral. The farmer is common to both man and beast; but the latter belongs to man alone. Courage comes from the strength of mind or will. Physical courage depends on one's physical strength. A weak; and sickly person is hardly seen to be physically courageous. Because his ill health does not permit him to take an aggressive view in life, although he may be mentally bold.But a person, who is bold and strong, both in body and mind, is normally found to be courageous. The question of physical courage arises in the event of any danger or difficulty that suddenly appears, when immediate protection or security from that fear of massacre or destruction demands physical courage. If a sudden fire breaks out in a house, or a dacoit is going to take place, physical courage becomes absolutely necessary in such critical moments. Without physical resistance with indomitable courage, it becomes impossible to save the situation.But moral courage is in no way inferior to the physical courage. It is, on the contrary, more important and glorious to possess moral courage. Moral courage is very rare. It is f0undl in one in a million. There are numerous instances where people have bravely used their physical courage and saved the life of a drowning man, or a house from burning in fire, by jumping courageously into the scene of danger. But there are few cas es, where the common people are found to open their mouth against an unfair or unjust deed that they witness, because they lack moral courage. They are cowards without a backbone.Noble may be the cause in which physical courage is shown; but nobler is the cause in which moral courage is displayed. Moral courage comes from a firm conviction that the possessor has in him. Let us take the case of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar who is known for his noble character and moral courage. The man was highly educated, but hardly with any extraordinary physical strength; yet he was endowed with tremendous moral courage. He did not hesitate to raise his voice of protest or even insult the wicked Europeans who used to rule the country then with enormous  power.He had also ignored all sorts of humiliation in the hands of his own countrymen, when he was determined to get the Bill for ‘Hindu Widow Re-marriage' passed by the Government. That goes to show his wonderful determination, moral c ourage and noble character. Galileo, the great scientist, had also to suffer imprisonment in his old age for the sake of his conviction. Men of moral courage never barter away their conscience, but put it before liberty, before reputation, even before life. They think of no danger, nor of death, when the alternative is a disgrace.They hate more to live as cowards than to face prosecution, imprisonment or death. It is these men who are the true makers of history. It is they who live in honour, die in glory, and have the privileges of being adored by all Courage is summoning strength in the face of life's difficulties or, sometimes, life's horrors. It means proceeding in spite of pain, cost, or risk. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the deliberate decision that action is necessary regardless. Courage acknowledges uncertainty, but perseveres because of conviction and resolve.It offers us focus and self-possession so we can call up our competencies to meet our challenges. Courage is not necessarily an outward act of heroism; it can be purely internal, such as making the decision to be cheerful in grief, to adhere to values different from those around us, or to give something another try. hrough my own experiences in life I have been able to define the true meaning of courage. Courage is to have the ability to know wright from wrong and stand up for what you believe in even in the face of great adversity.In my lifetime I have rarely been called upon to display courage, but I clearly remember one specific situation. I was fourteen years old and at one of my friends birthday parties. There were around seventy-five teenagers at the party, along with loud music and dancing. What I thought was going to be a great night, turned out to be the night my courage would be tested. As I was talking to some of my friends I noticed something was wrong with them. Shortly after, I noticed that their behavior was different, I realized that I was smelling the scent of marijuan a.Before I knew it I was being offered some of their drugs. I thought about the consequences that were to come if I had said yes to their offer. I felt that if I had said yes, I would have let down so many people, but most importantly myself. Having courage gave me the will to say no to the drugs and walk away from the peer pressure. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose exemplify moral courage. Throughout the novel Atticus was portrayed as a man of great courage and integrity. Atticus had to discuss concepts with his daughter Scout when they were at Finch Landing.Scout wanted to know why Atticus was going to defend Tom Robinson if he already knew he was going to be defeated. Atticus then explained to Scout that, † simply because [Atticus and Scout] were licked a hundred years before [Atticus and Scout] started is no reason for [Atticus and Scout] not to try to win† (76). Atticus was demonstrating his courage by proving that no matter how hard things get, you should never give up, and that you should always fight for what you believe in. Atticus is shown as being courageous by demonstrating perseverance and standing up for what is right.Another example of how Atticus is courageous is when at Finch Landing, he explains to Scout that this time he knew that he was † Fighting [his] friends, and no matter how bitter things get, they are still [his] friends and this is still [his] home†(76). Atticus' explanation to Scout was important because he had to reassure her that no matter the outcome of the trial they would still have their friends and there home. Even with all the pressure to quit the case, Atticus was determined to go up against all odds to ensure that justice would prevail. Atticus was a courageous, determined, and compassionate man.Along with Atticus, Mrs. Dubose is another prime example of a courageous person. Mrs. Dubose demonstrated courage when she decided to give up her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose died a slow painful death and when she was on her death bed, Mrs. Dubose reminded Atticus carefully, † [Mrs. Dubose] was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody† (111). In this situation most people would not have been able to tolerate the pain and would have given in to the morphine. Mrs. Dubose could have easily chosen to take the morphine and die with out so much agonizing pain, but she was too contrary.Her moral courage helped her to overcome her addiction. Mrs. Dubose was not only a courageous but also a selfless person. Jem had to learn this about her the hard way. Atticus questioned Jem, â€Å"Son didn't you know what her fits were†(111)? Mrs. Dubose chose not to tell anyone that she had been trying to give up the morphine. The withdraw made her have anger fits. She did not want to burden anyone with her problems. Mrs. Dubose let everyone believe that she was an angry, old, mean, terrible person. Still need to finish conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. patienceHave you ever wondered why certain people succeed and do well in certain situations while others don’t? The reason is that those successful people have and have always had a certain characteristics that help them to do so. These characteristics are called virtues. A virtue is a characteristic of a person which supports individual moral excellence and collective well being. One of the most important virtues that helps individuals progress and succeed is patience. This is because patience helps one make good decisions, prevents one from giving up, and helps develop empathy and compassion.First and foremost patience helps us make good decisions. The reason for this is by being patient you have a clear mind to think through the possible results of your actions. Everyone has stress and has been in stressful situations but the way we respond to the stress is what defines our future success. In order to become successful people have had to ma ke tough decisions regarding their futures and without patience they would not have been able to do so. For example Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, made the decision to drop out of college in order to pursue his dreams of creating a software company.In its early stages he faced much adversity for his decision but he stuck with it and his patience helped him to become one of the wealthiest and most successful people ever. Along with decision making patience also prevents one from giving up. This is as a result of keeping your goals consistent regardless of how difficult or the time it takes to reach them. One of the greatest examples of success through patience Is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He is one of the most influential people that have ever lived. Dr. King’s goal which was simple but seemed impossible at the time was to end discrimination and unify our nation

Embracing the philosophy of the Dao De Jing

Embracing the philosophy of the Dao De Jing One of the things that make human life intriguing and to some extent captivating is the diversity and variation exhibited by various people as a result of their differing cultures and personalities amongst other things. Different people have different beliefs and value systems and I have always been of the opinion that a lot can be learnt from the diverse practices. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Embracing the philosophy of the Dao De Jing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through the years, I have had the opportunity to be exposed to various value systems, religions and philosophies. While most of these have only aroused vague curiosity in me, there are those philosophies that I have found appealing and would consider incorporating in my life. The naturalistic philosophy of the Dao De Jing which is a compilation of texts on the Chinese way of thinking also referred to as Taoism is one of the philosophies which I c onsider adopting. In this paper, I shall review the impact on my values and practices that embracing Taoism shall have on my life. I shall also discuss how this decision will affect my daily living. Having being born and raised in Italy, I have a deep-rooted love and passion for music, painting, and various other artistic works. This deep appreciation has been as a result of experiencing my childhood years in Italy, a country that places much value and appreciation for fine arts. My personal life therefore bears witness to this as can be illustrated by the various ornaments that I adorn and the painting and sculptures that I have in my house. While some of my ornaments are only of sentimental value to me and hold no significant monetary value to speak of, others have a high monetary value and wearing them is more of a status symbol. The Dao De Jing philosophy explicitly asserts that one shall not display objects of desire as this might lead to the disturbance of the hearts of other people (140). For me to embrace these teachings, I shall therefore have to be in sync with the Taoism value of non-materialism which seeks to create a world whereby the jealousy that is inherent in human beings is not evoked. I shall therefore have to rid myself of my art works which I greatly cherish. This will lead to harmony as vices such as theft which spring from coveting will be evaded. In the course of my life, I have had the privilege of residing in a number of countries and interacted with people of various cultures. From this, I have honed my ability as a multilingual and at present, I work at a hospital as a medical interpreter. Most people view me with fascination and are astounded by my various achievements in life. Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many a times I find myself awing people with tales of my encounters in various continents and my exploits. Accor ding to the Taoist philosophy, one should accomplish his task but not claim credit for it (140). If I am to adopt the practices of Taoism, I shall have to stop taking credit for my accomplishments but rather be content with letting the accomplishments remain in me. We live in a capitalistic world where emphasis is placed on being a notch above the rest. As such, competition is not only encouraged but also greatly rewarded in most of our institutes. Like many other westerners, I am therefore competitive as a factor of nurture. This attribute in me can be perfectly illustrated by my college experience where I have always aimed to achieve the best results. In most of my educational efforts, I work as an individual so as to give myself an edge over the rest of the students. Taoism asserts that the best man is like water and he benefits all things and doesnt compete with them (143). As such, Taoism would have me not only love humanity but also work in harmony with other human beings. Wh ile I am not outspoken about all things in life, I hold a strong opinion on the issues that I deem to be significant in my life such as art, language and my beliefs. I am outspoken about my ambitions in life and do not shy from sharing them with others. Taoism calls on its faithful to exercise subtlety in all undertaking. If I am to follow the path of Tao, I will be inclined to exercise discretion in my affairs and keep my ambitions and beliefs to myself. By practicing subtlety which is characterized by a hidden manifestation of affairs, I will master of things of the present and draw closer to the universe as well (146). One of the less than pleasant experiences in my life is my recent divorce from my spouse. Owing to this event, the last couple of months have been especially turbulent for me as I have sought to regain my emotional balance. I have experienced various emotions from rage and anger to relief and ecstasy. In my moments of anger, I have viewed by former partner unfavor ably and wished malevolent things upon his life. The philosophy of the Dao De Jing calls on us to be impartial (141). As such, for me to embrace Taoism, I should learn how to regard all human beings and especially my ex-husband without any loathing. In addition to this, I should learn how to not give too much though to any of the events that happen in my life but rather aim for tranquility and inner peace. This will call for me to have the will power to let go of all the past troubles and face the future with hope.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Embracing the philosophy of the Dao De Jing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While my relationship with others is not marred by suspicions or great troubles, I concede that it is not as good as I would desire. This may be because of my candid nature which may at times be mistaken for insensitivity. Taoism presents a way for me to mend my relationship with others. Accordin g to these teachings, one can buy honor by fine words and gain the respect of others by fine deeds (168). Considering that my personal and indeed my professional life is characterized by numerous instances of interactions with other people, this philosophy would be very beneficial to me since people tend to be more amicable if there is some degree of honor and respect involved in the relationship. Through the years, I have been enrolled in various educational institutes at various levels. This has been in a bid to increase my knowledge and therefore make me a better and more productive member of the society. While it is impossible to possess all the knowledge that is there, I have discovered through experience that sometimes people regard you with more respect if they perceive that you know more than you in reality do know. For this reason, I sometimes create the false impression of knowing more than I do. Taoism strongly suggests that such behavior is a disease and that one should be content with knowing that you do not know (172). I suspect that the reason for this Tao stance concerning this matter is because if people think that you know something, they will not take the trouble to educate you on the issue and this may be detrimental especially to me as a student. My adoption of Taoism would therefore require that I have no shame in my ignorance but rather see it as an opportunity to increase my knowledge. It has always been my belief that it is a moral and right thing to assist the less privileged members of our society. For this reason, I am involved in various charitable organizations and constantly offer my assistance to charitable causes. This is a practice that is also held in high esteem by Taoism. The philosophy acclaims the person who gives to others as virtuous and further goes on to state that the more he gives to others the more he possesses of his own (176). However, Taoism goes on to state that a wise person does not accumulate wealth for t hemselves. This is something that I am guilty of as I have over the years aimed at saving up for my future. Embracing the philosophy would therefore require of me to use more of my resources for others so that I can have more for myself and subsequently live a fulfilling life.Advertising Looking for essay on philosophy? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this paper, I set out to discuss the impact that embracing Taoism would have on my life as it presently stands. To this end, I have discussed my various values and practices and the significant changes that I would have to make so as to conform to the Tao standards. Without doubt, some of these changes are monumental and it would take me many years to change from my current practices. This is mostly because some of these ideologies such as capitalism are deeply entrenched in me owing to my upbringing. However, I strongly believe that if I remained strong willed and express a genuine desire to follow the Taoist philosophy; I shall find my way and lead a tranquil and fulfilling life as the Taoism promises it’s faithful. WIng-Tsit, C. â€Å"A Source Book in Chinese Philosophy.† New Jersey: Princeton University Press.