Why Are Microbes So Important - 944 Words

Introduction Life on this planet began with microorganisms. Through millions of years microorganisms have found ways to successfully adapt and survive. These adaptations have created a wide biodiversity, allowing them to basically populate in all places. Why are these microbes so important? Because they shape the history of our world. Some microbes can be deathly to humans while some others are favorable, for example, bacteria that lives in the gut of both humans and animals and helps during the process of digestion (Alfred Brown Heidi Smith, 2006). Understanding these interactions help scientists to find ways to protect humans from potential deathly pathogens. In order to observe microbes, microscope proficiency and microorganisms’ identification are crucial skills in a microbiology lab. During this laboratory session, samples of environmental and human organisms were inoculated into two different rich media and incubated to their according temperature. After this, appropriate use and ca libration of the microscope was performed. Lastly, morphology and size of different species of bacteria, algae, fungi and protozoan were recorded. Materials and Methods Nutrient Broth and Nutrient Agar were used to inoculate bacteria taken from different surfaces. Nutrient agar plate was inoculated with a sample taken from skin surface. A sterile cotton swab was first immersed on sterile water, then, rubbed against the skin with swirling motion and transferred to an agar plate by rubbingShow MoreRelatedHow To Grow, Extract, Harvest And Use Plant Products As Antimicrobial Agents1628 Words   |  7 Pagesthat flavonoid compounds display preventive effects against multiple viruses and the effectiveness of flavonoids People from all continents have anciently implied the use of indigenous plants Types of Microbes Viruses Bacteria Other Microbes 200-400 nanometers in diameter DNA(deoxyribonucleic acid)/RNA (ribonucleic acid)surrounded by a protein shell and sometimes lipids (fatty material) Inactive until it enters host cell, then hijacks cell’s metabolic (The sum total ofRead MoreThe Bacterias Environment And Its Unusual Ability May Help Mankind1046 Words   |  5 Pagesbreak down and use more components of the oil than other bacteria like it. As a matter of fact, some strains of the bacteria produce a previously unknown class of glucose lipids. These glucose lipids can reduce surface tension in water. This is important to note as, A. borkumensis breaks down the alkanes where the oil meets the water (Ray, 2010). A. borkumensis uses these glucose lipids when it uses n-alkanes exclusively for energy. A. borkumensis will produce these glucose lipids, also known asRead MoreMicrobiology Class At City College Of San Francisco Essay1265 Words   |  6 Pagesteam is now getting ready to discuss further treatment plans to provide the patients with further information. The team has now come up with a hypothesis on to why the treatment has not responded to the patients’ symptoms. The patients may not be responding to the current antimicrobial treatment that was prescribed because the microbes causing a skin infection developed resistance to the antimicrobial drugs. This can be due to mutations and transfer of genetic materials that the microorganisms haveRead MoreBacterial Spraum Case Study786 Words   |  4 Pagesresistance is the ability of microbes to recalcitrant the outcome of drugs – that is, the germs are not destroy, and their advancement is not shut. Although some people are at better chance than others, no one can fully avoid the wager of wonder drug-resisting infections. Infections with resisting organisms are difficult to discourse, request sumptuous and sometimes toxic alternatives. Bacteria will inevitably find ways of resisting the antibiotics improved by humans, which is why aggressive movement isRead MoreIsolation of Individual Colonies1087 Words   |  5 PagesA. Define the following: Enriched Media: An enrichment medium contains some important growth factor (vitamin, amino acid, blood component, or carbon source) necessary for the growth of fastidious organisms. Selective Media: Selective media allow for the selection of particular microorganisms that may be present in a mixed culture. Selective media usually contain a component that enhances the growth of the desired organism or inhibits the growth of competing organisms. DifferentialRead MoreA Child s Immune System1265 Words   |  6 Pagesmost parents. Especially if they got sick after being exposed to all the bacteria that was in the garbage. Children are always looking for something they can either suck on, dig through or destroy. They require close supervision, but it is also important to let them explore the world around them. Is it better to let your child be exposed to germs and bacteria that are present in our everyday life or to keep them in a cleaner, more controlled environment? A parent’s protective instinct to keepRead MoreWhat Are Two Examples Of Extremophiles And How Do Scientists Hypothesize They May Help Us Understand Life?910 Words   |  4 Pagesextremophiles are placed in. A few examples of categories are radioresistant microbes, and thermophiles. Radioresistant microbes are types of extremophile that can withstand high amounts of radiation. They are able to survive 500 times the amount of radiation compared to humans. This extremophile has evolved rapidly; they have repair mechanisms in their DNA to reverse genetic mutations caused by radiation. Radioresistant microbes can channel the radioactivity energy to produce their food. This categoryRead MoreIdentify And Describe Three Groups Of Low G + C Gram Positive Bacteria1579 Words   |  7 Pagesproduce potent toxins that cause a variety of diseases in humans. Important in medicine industry (Botox oral plaque). Examples of clostridia include C. tetani (cause tetanus), C. perfringens ( causes gangrene), C. botulinum ( causes botulism) and C. difficle (severe diarrhea). Microbes related to Clostridium include: Epulopiscium - a giant bacterium that can be seen without a microscope; Some clostridia are sulfate-reducing microbes – they produce H2S from elemental sulfur d uring anaerobic respiration;Read MoreCo-Evolving with Our Microbiome1539 Words   |  7 Pagesmicroorganisms are thriving on our skin, genital areas, mouth, and especially intestines. (Ackerman, 2012) It is estimated that there are more than one thousand species that make up this community living in the digestive system alone. When we think of microbes in the body, we tend to think of bacteria that causes disease or germs that make us sick. Biologist, Sarkis K. Mazmanian believes we focused on the harmful bugs because they are foreign enemies that invade our bodies throughout our life and indifferentRead MoreAseptic Technique Lab Essay1386 Words   |  6 PagesAseptic Technique and Culturing Microbes Lab 3 Brittney Case August 4th 2013 Section: Mic 101 Microbiology Session 1 Abstract: The Purpose of this experiment is to gain knowledge of how to properly use aseptic techniques to transfer cultures, learning about cultured media and how to distinguish various types of microbial growths as well as what is required for them to grow properly. Hypothesis: This exercise will allow me to gain knowledge of how to properly use aseptic techniques

My Journey Into Becoming A Teacher Essay - 971 Words

My journey into becoming a teacher was not intentional. Through the evolution of my circumstance, I have evolved into an individual with a greater calling. My previous background had been in the area of law enforcement. My stern demeanor and astute character yielded itself to a career in which the rehabilitation of criminal society offered me sound employment but left me empty in which how to reach individuals before they were banished to a world of concrete walls and steel bars. Eventually my life’s compass leads me to marriage, children and the quiet life of a housewife who migrated back to the great state where Republican voices rule and oil refineries seep toxins into the air. My family was back in in Texas, after years in living in several different cities. It is here were I found employment in Desoto Independent School District as a Special Education paraprofessional. I was introduced into a world of special education acronyms, federal laws, individual education plans and my classroom teacher Lisa Randle. Ms. Randle treated me as a teacher, not an assistant. She spearheaded my trajectory into the realm of special education through hands on experiences and in depth conversation. Ms. Randle made sure I was introduced to the daily functions of the Special education classroom in every professional way. One day after an intense afternoon of working with our profound students, Ms. Randle made a suggestion which would lead me on the path I reside on today. She suggestedShow MoreRelatedMy Journey Towards Becoming A Preschool Teacher1390 Words   |  6 PagesWhen starting my journey towards becoming a preschool teacher, my philosophy was pretty vague. I believed in simple things such as caring and loving children as well as supporting and guiding them onto their path. I still believe in all these things, although I have recognized that there is a lot more to teaching, as well as my philosophy, than I initially thought. I came to this realization when studying about all the different child development theorists throughout history, as well as the six keyRead MoreIs Becoming A Teacher Than Teaching A Classroom And Giving Out Work?1621 Words   |  7 Pagesvery hard working? Someone who is a teacher fits this job description. We all have teachers at some point in our lives. For a research project assigned to myself, I decided to research the process of becoming a teacher. One of the most interesting things I’ve learned while completing this research project is that there is just more to becoming a teacher than teaching a classroom and giving out work. There is much time and effort that goes into becoming a teacher as well as actually being one. I’dRead MorePersonal Narrative: My Journey to Literacy Essay1133 Words   |  5 Pageson my journey to literacy was my concern over my brother and sister’s ability to read and write including solving math problems. That did not really motivate not to become literate; I was extremely playful as a child. What I am able to remember is my first day of school, I cried like a baby when my mom dropped me off. I soon began to grow out of my baby stage and school became really interesting. Even though it was not as hard as it is now, the value that pushed me to be literate was how my teacherRead MoreI Am A Firs t Year Student At The Fortis Institute Dental Hygiene School916 Words   |  4 Pagesthings. I have made new friendships, enhancing my learning experience, furthering my career, and my personal favorite experience, clinic. I have learned many techniques from observing the other students during this time. Also, being in the clinic had shown me that being an RDH is what I want to do. In my essay I will discuss my Fears, experiences, observations, my new found confidences, and finally how my view of Dental Hygiene has changed. While shadowing my fellow upper cohorts during the clinic IRead MoreTeaching : The Power Of Change : S1 20161238 Words   |  5 Pagesthe curriculum is often derived from theories. Understanding theories can help guide a teacher through their education journey. Sometimes, teachers may struggle with classroom organisation or implementing the curriculum in a considerate, all-encompassing and engaging way, especially if you are a CRT or Graduate Teacher - and often these concepts can help inspire and encourage teachers. To be an empowered teacher means your classroom and students will be empowered learners, and that is the best typeRead MoreBecoming An Educator For English Language Learners864 Words   |  4 Pages Becoming an educator is what I want to be in life and when I do become an educator I want to be more than just an average teacher. My objective as a teacher is to be able to teach students the basic skills in different subjects to increase their cognitive development to pr epare them for the path that the future holds for them. I want to be an educator who helps individuals succeed. As a future educator for English language learners I have learned that teaching goes beyond core instruction. I wantRead MorePersonal Narrative Rough Draft : Choosing A Career Is Not An Easy Task864 Words   |  4 Pagesin the back of my mind I would always say a teacher because I come from a long history of teachers in my family. One of my grandpas was a high school math teacher along with coaching the football team. My aunt is an elementary school substitute teacher specializing in special needs students, while my uncle is a high school history teacher. While, my father is a physical education teacher who has taught at both the elementary and high school level. Growing up around so many teachers made me think IRead MorePersonal Experience with Writing842 Words   |  4 Pagescould use my creativity and create any type of character I desired. But I have struggled with writing as well. English has never been my forte. I have received A’s, B’s, C’s, and D’s on essays. I truly never found my voice in writing. In my high school, English teachers would give me mixed reviews on my writing. For example, in 9th grade my English teacher said I was organized with my thoughts, and my writing process was excellent. While in 10th,11th grade ,12th grade my teachers only saidRead MoreI Do Not Recall My Parents Ever Reading919 Words   |  4 PagesI do not recall my parents ever reading to me while growing up. Reading has not been important for my family, so it was not important to me. I remember learning how to read in elementary school mainly, just because my teacher taught me how to read and write. Although I liked school, I did not like to read, because it was not something I was used to doing. Neither of my parents finished elementary school, so they do not know how to read and barely knew to write. Factors such as being an English LanguageRead MoreMalcolm X And Religion Essay849 Words   |  4 Pagesprisoner number 22843, and finally Malcolm X. Malcolm X’s journey is full of twists, turns, transformations, trials, and tribulations. He came from difficult times and this molded him into the influential man that he became. The Ku Klux Klan murdered his father, his mother was sent away, him and his siblings being split apart, being oppressed throughout school, and a vast amount of other hardships he still triumphed in the end. His journey was not without downfalls, him losing to the darkness and

Insolvent Trading And Notices To Creditors †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Insolvent Trading And Notices To Creditors? Answer: Introduction A company becomes insolvent when it becomes incapable of paying debts. The liabilities of the company become bigger than the assets of the company, which makes the company incapable to pay the debts to its creditors, further making it incompetent to fulfill the basic requirements that are indispensible for carrying on the operations of the company. Several circumstances in a company indicate the signs of insolvency. Such circumstances entail maximum borrowing of the company when the company has reached the limit of the bank overdraft and it is unable to borrow without providing personal guarantees. the suppliers of the company refuses to supply credits and the company lacks adequate assets to obtain a secured short-term loan. Another instance that indicates the company is about to become insolvent is when the organization is unable to pay off its lenders, which further acts as a threat, and entitles the company to legal proceedings. While the company becomes insolvent, it becomes unable to make payments to its employees and workers as well. The following are the two tests, which determines the insolvency of the company: Balance sheet test- this indicates that the amount of liabilities of the company is more than the amount of assets of the company. the liabilities includes the uncertain and future liabilities of the company as well; Cash-flow test- this test determines whether the company be able to pay off its debts in future by all it means. If the company is in a condition that disables the company to pay off its debts in present as well as in the future, it can be said to be insolvent; After the company is declared as insolvent, it becomes imperative for the company to take necessary measures to deal with the situation reinstate the company to the position as it was prior to such insolvency. The directors have significant role to play when it comes to the insolvency of the company. They are required to act wisely and with diligence to deal with the situation and take measures that is in the best interest of the company and its members (Asic.gov.au. 2017). The directors are required to concentrate on the financial status of the organization for which it is important that Cash liquidity ratio is subjected to strict mentoring and placed under surveillance. The directors must not allow the company to incur any further debts and until it becomes feasible for the company to refinance, restructure or obtain equity funding for recapitalizing the company, the company may appoint either a liquidator or a voluntary administration. Voluntary administration enables a company to resolve the future direction of the company where a responsible person is appointed who exercises control over the company with a view to prevent the company and its business. In the case FPJ Group Pty Ltd (in liq) (Hussains case) [2016] FCA 392, it was held that the person appointed shall be responsible for conducting the business operations in a way that produces better results and provides better return to the creditors of the company. A liquidator shall take control of the company to wind up the affairs of the company in a fair and orderly manner, thus ensuring benefits of the creditors (Asic.gov.au.2017). The directors of a company are required to act in a manner that is in the best interest of the company. The Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) (CA) has stipulated several statutory provisions that must be followed by the directors of the company. In the event of non-compliance of such statutory rules, the statute penalizes the directors to the extent of exclusion of the director/directors from the board of the company. Under section, 588 G of the Corporation Act it is imperative that the directors of the company are not engaged in any form of trade that is detrimental to the company or results in insolvency of the company. The directors of the company are responsible for paying off the liabilities of the company when the company becomes insolvent. In Carrello as liquidator of Perrinepod Pty Ltd v Perrine Architecture Pty Ltd (Carrellos case) [2016] WASC145, the liquidator brought legal action against the directors of the company and the its parent company for engaging in insolvent trading under section 588G and 588V of the CA 2001(cth) respectively. Although the liquidator failed to establish the claim that the company failed to pay off its debts but the company was imposed with a fine of $1.06 million for being engaged in insolvent trade. Although the company is entitled to penalties for being engaged in any insolvent trading, this, committing a breach of section 588H, the company may defend itself if it succeeds in establishing the following factors: The company establishes its solvency post its involvement in insolvent trade activity with another company; The company adduces evidence of solvency prior, while and after it was engaged with the other company in insolvent trade activities; The board of the company implemented effective measures to avert any further debts; The company considers any reasonable person to determine whether he would have taken same decisions with respect to the same matters; The directors may take help of professionals to establish that they were mentally, physically or economically viable which prevented them from making rational decisions in the best interest of the company.; The directors must establish that they have relied on the opinions of a competent person and have been acting as per their opinion; When the liabilities of the company are more than its assets, the company becomes unable to pay off its debts to the creditors with the assets of the company, the company winds up under such circumstances. When a company winds up, the assets of the company are sold off for the purpose of paying off its liabilities and debts and shuts down the company. A company could be wound up in two ways: Voluntary winding up and involuntary winding up of the company. Voluntary winding up of the company takes place when the members of the company agree to shut down the company or wind it up. Involuntary winding up of the company, as the name suggests, is contrary to the voluntary procedure of winding up of the company. A voluntary winding up of the company is also known as Creditors voluntary liquidation and in this form of liquidation, the members and the directors of the company are allowed to select the liquidator who would sell of the assets and distribute the funds among the creditors as mentioned under the CA 2001 (Cth). In case of involuntary winding up, a creditor may initiate the liquidation by applying before the court for the winding order. Unlike voluntary liquidation, the creditors will choose the liquidator in involuntary liquidation. A creditor may initiate voluntary liquidation of the company when a company becomes solvent whereas in case of involuntary liquidation process, it can take place even when the company is solvent. It is often observed that when the creditors initiates involuntary liquidation, the creditors becomes entitled to claim any form of misconduct that the creditors had faced or have observed within the company. The primary issue that arises in the liquidation process is that the process is expensive to such an extent that the directors shall have to use their personal assets to complete the liquidation process. Under such circumstances, the directors are largely affected owing to the fact that they are also liable to pay of the liabilities and losses suffered by the company which may have an adverse effect on their career. If any debtor is engaged in any fraudulent trading, it is considered as punishable by law under section 1317E of the Act. The debtors are often subjected to disqualification under section 206 A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). As discussed above that while the company becomes insolvent it may resort to voluntary administration, which is evident from several polls that have been conducted in the country. The polls indicate that there has been an incline in the insolvency rate of the Australian companies. It further reveals that most of the companies that have become insolvent have resorted to voluntary administration, which is evident from the statistical data of April 2017. The data reveals that an average of 5% increase in the insolvency of the companies who have appointed voluntary administrators. The secured creditors including banks are reported to have appointed an average of 1355 workers in April 2017, which has increased within a decade. The statistical data has been obtained from the official report of Australian Investment and the Security Commission (AISC). There had been various issues, which leads to insolvency of a company in Australia amongst which the most common reason for such insolvency is inadequate cash flow in the company accounts as stipulated by the ASIC. The inadequate cash flow disables the company to fulfill the demands and requirements of the creditors, which further results in winding up of the company. A company is required to consider the early warnings that indicate that the company may become subjected to insolvency if not checked on the right time (Brown 2016). A company indicates signs of insolvency if the organization lacks proper management skills which results in irrational and poor ways of dealing with the business operations of the company. Any reasonable person would not act in the way such company acts with respect to the poor management of the company business. Any company that lacks proper managing arrangements, it is evident that it would suffer significant loss. However, in Australia, most of the companies end up in court because of the fact that most of the companies are found to be engaged in the insolvent trade practices. It is evident from the Queensland Nickel company that assets worth more than 200 million were frozen because the company had been engaged in some insolvent trade practices ((Asic.gov.au. 2017). The Australian Investment and the Security Commission (ASIC), that governs the financial transactions of companies in Australia, is responsible for monitoring that every company is maintaining transparent business operations. The ASIC is also accountable for managing the flow of capital in the business organizations and monitor whether any corporation has been engaged in any conduct that is contrary to the statutory provisions of the CA Act 2001(Cth). Any company that is found to be in breach of the statutory provisions shall be subjected to the stipulated penalty. The ASIC plays the role of a regulator between the market or society and any company that is about to become insolvent or has already become insolvent. The authority governs the corporations in enhancing and improving the internal operations of the organization by stipulating necessary statutory provisions, which enable the company, learn about insolvency and the measures to reinstate its position as it was before becoming insolvent. It further provides provisions that stipulate the procedures to repay the creditors while the company becomes insolvent. The ASIC also provides guidance to the other corporations thus, enabling them to accelerate their progress and improve their competence, This further leads to improve the capability of the company to become self-reliant and prevents itself from engaging into any insolvent trading activities. The other essential features would include three procedures of insolvency includes the following factors: Liquidation Receivership Administration Conclusion Administration refers to the collective corporate rescue procedures that are implemented for the benefit of all the creditors where the assets of the company are safeguarded by taking a reasonable and effective creditor action. Receivership is the process where the holder of a floating charge against the company appoints a receiver or a manger that is responsible for selling off the assets of the company to pay off the secured debt. As discussed above, liquidation is the winding up of the company by selling off its assets and paying the creditors. Reference List Asic.gov.au. (2017). Insolvency for directors | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission. [online] Available at: https://asic.gov.au/regulatory-resources/insolvency/insolvency-for-directors/ [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017]. Asic.gov.au. (2017). Winding up a solvent company | ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission. [online] Available at: https://asic.gov.au/for-business/closing-your-company/deregistration/winding-up-a-solvent-company/ [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017]. Australia, C.P.A., 2015. Small business survey program: Financial management, insolvency and fraud. Blakeley and Australian Music Pty Ltd v Yamaha Music Australia Pty Ltd (Blakeleys Case) [2016] VSC 231. Brown, A., 2015. ASIC: From little things, big things grow-lodging and publishing. Australian Insolvency Journal, 27(1), p.42. Brown, A., 2016. ASIC: Better communication, insolvent trading and notices to creditors. Australian Restructuring Insolvency Turnaround Association Journal, 28(1), p.42. Carrello as liquidator of Perrinepod Pty Ltd v Perrine Architecture Pty Ltd (Carrellos case) [2016] WASC145 Coggins, J., Teng, B. and Rameezdeen, R., 2016. Construction insolvency in Australia: reining in the beast. Construction Economics and Building, 16(3), pp.38-56. Corporation Act 2001 (Cth) Elks, S. and Elks, S. (2017). Clive faces massive mega trial. [online] Theaustralian.com.au. Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/clive-palmer-faces-court-set-for-one-massive-mega-trial/news-story/52d0666f855e0d54151da588928cab31 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017]. Harnahan, P., Ramsey, I. and Stapledon, G. (2017). COMMERCIAL APPLICATION OF COMPANY LAW. 18th ed. Oxford University Press. Hussain v CSR Building Projects Limited; in the matter of FPJ Group Pty Ltd (in liq) (Hussains case) [2016] FCA 392. Innes, K., 2016. Australian insolvency law: Cases and materials [Book Review]. Ethos: Official Publication of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory, (240), p.61. Osborne, M., 2016. Bankruptcy administration in Australia. Australian Restructuring Insolvency Turnaround Association Journal, 28(2), p.22.

The Great Gatsby Is a Tale of Deception free essay sample

â€Å"The Great Gatsby is a tale of deception, adultery and murder† how do you respond to this view. Adultery, murder and deception are all consistently involved within Fitzgerald’s novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† are important events to developing our understanding. The three factors show how reckless people were, give historical context and create situations which mean we can see the true colours of many of Fitzgerald’s characters. The outlook given by this sentence however does the novel no favours. It’s a very narrow view, leaving out important themes of the novel such as love, the American dream, society and class, memory and the past. It’s well noted that â€Å"The Great Gatsby† is not a love story and this is certainly true as the novel contains so many important issues, however the book is far more based on the notion of love than deception, adultery or murder. Wilson’s feelings for Myrtle are perhaps the only which can be accurately considered as love. We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Gatsby Is a Tale of Deception or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Daisy’s character destroys the idea of love. Daisy has married Tom for his money and status in society rather than for love and shows little love for their daughter telling the nurse she â€Å"hopes she’ll be a fool† and weeping. Daisy’s reaction to her daughter is not that of a maternal mother’s. There are moments in the book where Daisy believes she loves Gatsby but it is actually the adoration Gatsby bestows upon her that she loves. Fitzgeralds novel seems to give the message that conflict is inherent in love, even Gatsby who is often seen as the love-struck victim of the novel is more in love with his memory of her. Nick’s narration of the American dream is very cynical, he believes it impossible to achieve the same status as someone born into wealth no matter how hard you work. Money is normally the goal for most with American dream but young Gatsby set his eyes on a woman and life he could only achieve with an extremely high status in society. Hard work and merit are shown clearly in Gatsby not to be enough, he has â€Å"colossal† wealth and shows much more love and would probably be a lot more faithful than Tom but it’s not enough for someone like Daisy being born into such a superior exclusive class of people. The contrast between West Egg and East Egg clearly shows this with Nick and Gatsby living in West Egg â€Å"the less fashionable† where those born into a less luxurious existence reside, outsiders separated from Tom and Daisy by a river both metaphorically and literally. There is undeniably also lots of historical reference.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity Biodiversity Recently, the environment has been facing a lot of challenges resulting from the increased human activities such as farming and construction of the infrastructures. These activities have led to the imbalanced ecosystem. The environmentalists have continued to agitate for the need for humans to understand that the ecosystem is in a very dynamic setting, which is composed of different types and classes of living things. These living things are either directly or indirectly responsible for the survival of each other, and it is, therefore, important that they all exist. This write up addresses the various roles of people in ensuring the preservation of the areas threatened by the human encroachment. The balancing of different environmental concerns and the need for the U.S global participation in environmental conservation is also discussed. According to Narasaiah (2008), human encroachment is the inversion of part of the environment so that beneficial activities like farming and mining can be carried out. It has since threatened certain regions of the earth, thus, leading to the need for people to take up active roles in educating the rest of the human population on the importance of preserving the life of other living things. The innovation of environmental-friendly technology should also be encouraged, so that activities like mining and farming are done in a manner not likely to interfere with the ecosystem. In addition, the governments and private organizations should come up with protection programs, which can help preserve the regions threatened by human encroachment. These may include the formulation of preservation strategies such as; the creation of botanical gardens, seed banks, and zoos. Moreover, the governments should declare some human activities like cutting down of trees illegal if done without legal permission. The government should also carry out identification and protection of the biological hotspots. That is, the species rich regions to be protected so as to assist in maintaining the ecosystem at a balance. Finally, people should be advised to change their pattern of consumption and development activities so as to reduce the levels of environmental destruction (Kearns, 2010). The issue of drilling of oil in the Arctic has generated a controversial debate with a section of scholars supporting it while others have emphasized on its illegality. However, other scholars have come up with a compromising position noting the need for the consideration of both the long-term economic arguments and the habitat protection arguments. They have thus called for the need of environmental friendly methods of drilling as a compromised choice (Kearns, 2010). Narasaiah (2008) notes that many environmental conservation groups have come up to help in saving the rain forests. Some of these groups are in the United States of America though they operate internationally. Even, though, many people have questioned why the U.S is interested in the environmental conservation, in the other countries, it is important to note that every part of the worlds ecosystem contributes to the balancing of the whole earths ecosystem. In conclusion, it is important to note that a balanced ecosystem benefits the whole life forms on earth and so should be a responsibility of everyone.

The Worlds Newest Countries Since 1990

The Worlds Newest Countries Since 1990 Since the year 1990, 34 new countries have been created, many as a result of the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. and Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Others became new countries as a result of anticolonial and independence movements, including Eritrea and East Timor. Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Fifteen new countries became independent when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) dissolved in 1991. Most of these countries declared independence a few months before the Soviet Union officially collapsed: ArmeniaAzerbaijanBelarusEstoniaGeorgiaKazakhstanKyrgyzstanLatviaLithuaniaMoldovaRussiaTajikistanTurkmenistanUkraineUzbekistan Former Yugoslavia Yugoslavia dissolved in the early 1990s into five independent countries: June 25, 1991:  Croatia  and SloveniaSeptember 8, 1991:  Macedonia (officially The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) declared independence on this date, but wasnt recognized by the United Nations until 1993 and the United States and Russia until February of 1994.February 29, 1992: Bosnia and HerzegovinaApril 17, 1992:  Serbia and Montenegro, also known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Other New Countries Thirteen other countries became independent through a variety of circumstances, including independence movements: March 21, 1990:  Namibia became independent of South Africa.  Previously, Namibia was known as South West Africa when the latter was officially a German territory.May 22, 1990:  North and South Yemen merged to form a unified Yemen.October 3, 1990: East Germany and West Germany merged to form a unified Germany after the fall of the Iron Curtain.September 17, 1991:  The Marshall Islands was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony. On this date,  Micronesia, previously known as the Caroline Islands, also became independent from the United States.January 1, 1993: The Czech Republic and Slovakia became independent nations when Czechoslovakia dissolved. The peaceful separation was also known as the Velvet Divorce, after the Velvet Revolution which had led to the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia.May 25, 1993: Eritrea, which was part of Ethiopia, seceded and gained independence. The two nat ions later became involved in a violent war over disputed territory. A peace agreement was reached in 2018. October 1, 1994: Palau was part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (administered by the United States) and gained independence as a former colony.May 20, 2002: East Timor (Timor-Leste) declared independence from Portugal in 1975 but did not become independent from Indonesia until 2002.June 3, 2006: Montenegro was part of Serbia and Montenegro (also known as Yugoslavia) but gained independence after a referendum. Two days later, Serbia became its own entity after Montenegro split.February 17, 2008: Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. The representatives of the Kosovo people unanimously agreed that the country would be independent of​ Serbia despite the objections of eleven representatives of the Serbian minority.July 9, 2011: South Sudan peacefully seceded from Sudan following a January 2011 referendum. Sudan had been the site of two civil wars, and the referendum received near unanimous approval.

Examining Alternatives to Globalization Research Paper

Examining Alternatives to Globalization - Research Paper Example It is a fact that the people who are against globalization would actually accept anything that has an opposite tilt to what globalization has to offer. This would mean that the globalization ranks would simply be deemed as unacceptable as they do not bring forward any benefits for their entirety. When it comes to consumerism, they opine that the phenomenon of globalization undertakes measures to make sure that the most deserving individuals within the society do not get what is theirs. Also the element of consumerism has come about with the advent of time and globalization is one such facet which has made headlines due to a number of factors, most significant of which is the premise of bringing the world together, yet this hardly takes place as is suggested by the ones who detest globalization in letter and spirit. Thus globalization is by their standards a very difficult phenomenon which has no advantages so to speak. These people believe that immigration and nutrition are affected due to the advent of globalization in this day and age. There are individuals who do not believe in the dictum of globalization because it hurts the cause of the society from a collective growth and development stance.

Paper for international study class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paper for international study class - Essay Example Due to these many problems of war and terrorism, the United States of America has severally made interventions in countries like Iran and Iraq. These interventions have been to restore peace and tranquility in the economic resource endowed region that accounts for about 50% of all the oil consumed globally. It should be remembered that the United States foreign policy in the Mid-East dates back to the Barbary Wars in the early years of US existence. The system became more pronounced after the Second World War and has since then affected many ways in the affairs of Middle East and their relations with the West. During the cold war, the American policy aimed at curbing the influence of the Communist USSR through support to anti-communist countries in the region (Toaldo 23). In particular, US supported Israel against the Arab states that were majorly sponsored by the Soviet Union. To ensure the Western access to the Gulf oil in the 1960s and 1970s, the US became the major security patron of the Persian Gulf replacing the UK. The activities of the US in the Middle East intensified after 2001 9/11 attacks. An emphasis on counter-terrorism was declared and included in the US foreign policy. Although the relations between the US and the countries in the Middle East may be misconceived, the US has had Diplomatic relations with these countries except Iran. In 1979, the Iranian Revolution brought into power a regime that was completely anti-American derailing the relations between these two nations. The efforts of US activities in the Middle East including the most recent endeavour have been aimed at resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict and preventing the regional spread of weapons of mass destruction. These goals have been in line with the objectives of the UN Security Council that actively discourages the making and use of nuclear weapons.

Americans Bias Against Muslims Essay Example for Free

Americans Bias Against Muslims Essay Orientalism, simply put, is the perception the West has of the East. The concept was mapped out by Edward Said in his book Orientalism, where he explores the concept, its origin, and how it functions. Said states that Orientalism is the corporate institution for dealing with the Orient dealing with it by making statements about it, authorizing views of it, describing it, by teaching it, settling it, [and] ruling over it (3). However, Said points out that even if Orientalism from the beginning was not a creation with no corresponding reality the concept he studies in the book is that of the internal consistency of Orientalism and its ideas about the Orient despite or beyond any correspondence with the real Orient (5). What Said is saying is that the characteristics drawn up about the Orient within Orientalism ar not necessarily compatible with reality. The Western eagerness to characterize the Oriental came from the desire to put a face to the unknown, becoming a political vision of reality whose structure promoted the difference between East and West, them and us, the familiar and the strange (43). Orientalism became a dictionary displaying the characteristics of the Oriental subject, characteristics that were fixed and unchangeable (42, 70). The attributes given to the Oriental helped strengthen the image of Western superiority and justified colonialism. The West was seen as superior to the East, meaning that it had the right to dominate the subject race, since it did not know what was good for it (Said 35). Irrational, depraved (fallen), childlike, [and] different,,4 (40) were words used to describe Orientals. Europeans then became rational, virtuous, mature, [and] normal (40), and the line between the two parts of the world was set; Europe (or the West) as the strong one and Asia (or the East) as the weak one (57). The Orientals were given the role of the Other, ruled by their emotions rather than sense, which made them crueller than the enlightened Western man (Barry 186). The role of the Other made ruling over them justified. The same method is still used by Orientalists today (Said 60), so the hegemony that makes the West believe itself to be superior to the East stays alive in both Western and Eastern cultures. Orientalism is written to explore how and why these ideas have such a central and fixed part in the mentality of the West (and East). In the preface to the 2003 issue of the book Said writes about 9111 and the following War on Terror in this way: Without a well-organized sense that these people over there were not like us and didnt appreciate our values the very core of Orientalism there would have been no war (xv). In this quote it is evident that the Oriental stereotype is still very much present in todays society and is affecting events in the world; Said even argues that the war in Afghanistan and Iraq would not be a fact if it was not for this stereotype. Although the role of the suppressed was given to the East, it was still, and is still, surrounded by mystery and exoticism because it was/is something so different from the West. Its exoticism made it hard to grasp and understand for Western society (Barry 186). It could be suggest that the contrasting images of the exotic Orient and the dangerous Orient are both images that exist in an attempt to make the ungraspable graspable. Even if these images are different they are sticking around because they provide an explanation. Said also points out that Orientalism is a three-way force that affects both the Orient, the Orientalists and the Western consumer of Orientalism (Said 67). Since the ideas of the Orient within Orientalism affect all three stages it makes it almost impossible to erase the stereotype that has been erected. The only way would be to embrace hybridity, which means accepting each others differences and looking beyond the man-made distinction between East and West (Said 5). After the 9/11 attacks it became even more evident that the stereotype evoked in Orientalism was not about to disappear, despite the new global society. Said gives an example of how an Arab is typically portrayed as a bloodthirsty, deceiving slave trader, who is a sadist and so on, in movies and on television (287). This image was not far away when the media, and politicians for that matter, started portraying all Easterners as bloodthirsty terrorists driven by non-rational thoughts (Scanlan 274). The fear of the unknown, of the suppressed rising and gaining power, of the Other speaking up, is as scary today as it was hundreds of years ago. These images of the East are what The Reluctant Fundamentalist explores, showing how deeply rooted they are in society and how they blossomed after 9/11. The novel tries to make the reader reflect upon this stereotype, how it might be wrong and why it exists.

Laertes and Horatio as Foils for Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- The Trag

Laertes and Horatio as Foils for Hamlet In the play, Hamlet , Shakespeare uses a cast of characters that have many roles. Of this cast, Shakespeare uses two characters, Laertes and Horatio, as foils for Hamlet’s character. Through similarities and differences these characters, accentuate Hamlet’s pretense of being crazy, emphasize how Hamlet is an improper son by standards of the time and cause him to be a tragic hero. A foil is a minor character that helps develop a major character by sharing similarities and differences with the main character. This is a common practice Shakespeare uses within many of his plays. The use of foils in Hamlet, is especially effective in affirming Hamlet’s anguish. Laertes and Hamlet share two basic similarities. Both Laertes and Hamlet want revenge for their father’s deaths. Hamlet wants revenge against his uncle and Laertes wants revenge against Hamlet. Both want to protect their family name. The revenge Hamlet wants is what starts him pretending he is crazy. He is attempting to use his dementedness as a ploy to get his uncle to confess to the murder. Laertes and Hamlet are both thought to be acting improperly by their parents. Laertes’ father sends two spies to Paris to watch his son and to report back their findings because, " in his worldliness and cynicism, he is absolutely sure that he knows how young men behave when away from parental control." [Source?] This outlook hints at the way Hamlet is behaving without his parental control. Hamlet is presumed mad because he claims to see his dead father[' H-50]s ghost and is obsessing ab... ...cumstantial causes (reasons) of Hamlet's behavior are shown, then is he not being shown as acting reasonably, and not insanely?] By using similarities and differences to contrast them to Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the minor characters to help the reader learn or understand Hamlet better. This is why Laertes and Horatio are foils for Hamlet. Both of these minor characters interact with Hamlet throughout the play and they constantly set him off as a tragic hero. [ Teachers Note: The primary point discussed in relation to Laertes could have been better made using Fortinbras, and the evidence provided in the discussion of Horatio appears to prove just the opposite of what the writer claims. On the other hand, this writer started with a very good thesis and attempted, throughout the entire essay to support that thesis. ]

RENE DESCARTES PROOF OF GOD’S EXISTENCE: ACRITICAL EXPOSITION Essay

The question of God is a perennial subject of debate in the history of philosophical scholarship and can be located in nearly all the epochs of philosophy. The subject however occupies a central space in the medieval epoch that was characterized by religious thinkers. The debate is largely between two schools of thought. There are those who opine that there is no such entity as God. To such thinkers, the question of God does not amount to anything but is largely a product of human imagination. On the other hand, there are certain group of thinkers who insist that God is a reality that exist and must be given due consideration. Thus, the onus lies on the one who affirms the existence of God to explain who or what this God is and to prove his existence. The subject of God may have being difficult to explain because the term God does not refer to any physical entity in the universe. Rene Descartes who is widely revered as the father of modern philosophy affirmed the existence of God and proffered two arguments for the existence of God. Many scholars have bore their minds on the question of God, but our aim in this paper is to examine the various ramifications of Descartes’ proof of God’s existence. To achieve this aim, our exposition shall follow this outline: Life and works of Descartes Who is God? The historical trajectory of the problem of God The cogito: a background to the Cartesian prof of God’s existence ï  ¶Descartes’ proof of God’s existence Criticisms of the Cartesian proof of God’s existence Evaluation Conclusion Life and works of Rene Descartes Descartes is the first major philosophical thinker of the modern period and the father of modern philosophy. He was born in La Haye, a small town near Tours in France on the 3rd of March he received a Jesuit education at the Jesuit college of La fleche in Anjou, one of the best schools of his time. Upon completion of his studies, he went to Holland where he joined the army in 1618. The following year, he travelled to Germany where he began to develop his ideas concerning how knowledge should be acquired. Descartes  returned to France in 1628 but soon returned to Holland where he remained until 1649, when he went to Sweden at the request of Queen Christina to come and tutor her in philosophy and knowledge in general. He is said to have died of pneumonia on the 11th of February 1650. Descartes has many achievements to his name, he invented the analytic geometry and the Cartesian coordinate system named after him. His major works include: The Rules for the Direction of the Mind (1628), the world (1629), Discourse on Method (1637), Optics (1637), Meteorology (1637), Meditations on first Philosophy (1641), Principles of Philosophy (1644) and Passions of the soul (1649). Who is God? Much of the disagreement about â€Å"proofs† of God’s existence is due to different conceptions of God. Classical theism, for instance, characterizes God as a supreme metaphysical being. Despite extensive writing on the nature of God, these classical theists did not believe that God could be defined. They believed that it would be contradictory to the transcendent nature of God if mere humans are able to define him. By contrast, much of Eastern religious thought (chiefly pantheism) presents God as a force inherent in every accessible and conceivable experience. In modern times, the concept of God typically entails a monotheistic, supreme, ultimate, and personal being, as found in the Islamic, Christian and Hebrew traditions. A historical trajectory of the problem of God. Since the ancient epoch of philosophy, philosophers have always grappled with the problem of the existence of God. Thus we shall examine the general posture that the discourse of God assumed before and after the advent of Descartes. This would properly position us to understand the background from were Descartes emerges. The ancient Western tradition of philosophical discuss of the existence of God began with Plato and Aristotle, who made arguments that would today be categorized as cosmological. In the medieval epoch of philosophy, other arguments for the existence of God have been proposed by St. Anselm, who formulated the first ontological argument; Avicena Averroes and Thomas Aquinas, who refined the cosmological argument (the kalam argument and the first way, respectively). In the modern period, Descartes, asserts that the existence of a benevolent God is logically necessary for the evidence of the senses to be meaningful; and Immanuel Kant, also contended that the existence of God can be deduced from the existence of good. The cogito: a background to Descartes prof of God’s existence Descartes was skeptical of the knowledge he acquired over the years, because he thinks that real knowledge requires certainty. To attain certainty, we need a foundation and then, we need a way of building from that foundation to other truths. Descartes describes his foundation in the first meditation. His starting point is the collection of beliefs. Thus he looks for grounds of doubt for certain basic beliefs and having found certain grounds for doubt, all other beliefs based on the basic beliefs will tumble. He rejects beliefs acquired through sense perception on the ground that we could be dreaming. He further rejects a priori beliefs for example mathematical truths on grounds that there could be an evil deceiver who is so powerful and possibly responsible for making him conceive of these beliefs. Having doubted his beliefs, Descartes discovers that he exists, for even if there is a powerful deceiver, he must exis t. The reason for his certainty about this belief is that he is thinking, whether this thinking consists of being deceived by the evil deceiver or not. In other to be thinking, he must exist. He avers cogito ego sum-I think, therefore I exist. Thus, his existence serves as a model for acquiring other kinds of knowledge. However, Descartes has not totally extricated himself from his self-imposed doubt and to do so, he proves the existence of a God who is not a deceiver. The Cartesian proof of God’s existence. Descartes proffered two arguments for the existence of God in the meditations, neither is original. The first is a version of the cosmological argument espoused by ancient thinkers and the second is a reformulation of Anselm’s ontological argument the starting point for the two fold argument is his clear and distinct idea of God. That is, he infers the existence of God from his idea of God. The causal argument for the existence of God Descartes’ first argument can be summarized as an attempt to prove God’s existence by causal reasoning. He asserts that his idea of God could only have been caused by God. Below is a concise presentation of his causal argument: †¢All effects including ideas are caused by something. †¢There must be at least as much reality in the cause as there is in the effect. †¢I have an idea of God as an infinite and perfect being. †¢The idea of God in my mind is an effect that was caused by something †¢I am finite and imperfect and thus could not be the cause of the idea of an infinite and perfect God. †¢Only an infinite being could be the cause of such an idea. †¢Therefore, God (an infinite and perfect being) exist. The first premise of the causal argument derives from a commonly held belief that has long being a premise in other arguments for the existence of God. The logic behind Descartes’ second premise can be explained thus, he says a cold object such as a pot of water cannot become hot unless something else causes that heat. But, the cause must have a high degree as the effect. For it is impossible for one level of reality (the boiling water) to be produced by a cause that is less than the effect (a cold stove). Just as heated water is an effect that requires a cause, so Descartes’ idea of an infinite and perfect being is an effect or a phenomenon that needs to be accounted for. It is possible that Descartes could have produced the idea of God himself. But for him, a finite object can only produce another finite object. Hence, Descartes says ordinarily, the idea in his mind does not tell him if there is the existence of any external reality. However, the idea of perfection is unique. If he could not have manufactured it himself, then it will necessarily follow that he is not alone in the world, but that some other thing which is the cause of this idea exist. That thing can only be God therefore, God exists. Descartes further corroborated his argument by demonstrating that his sustained existence requires an adequate cause. Using a variation of his causal argument, he argues that a being such as himself who contains the idea of perfection cannot come from an imperfect cause. In the cause of searching for an explanation for his own sustained existence, he introduces the principle that there cannot be an infinite regress of causes therefore; these causes must culminate in an ultimate cause and that cause is God. He conceives God as an infinite substance who is Omniscient, omnipotent, everlasting, unchanging, perfect, and the creator of all things. The ontological argument. In the meditation, Descartes employed a version of Anselm’s ontological argument to buttress the existence of God. Descartes begins by stating that the essence of a thing is different from its existence. The essence of a thing is that property without which it cannot be what it is. He argues that, to be a perfect being, a being must include in itself all perfection. Existence is perfection, therefore a perfect being (God) necessarily exist. The main outline of Descartes’ version of the ontological argument is as follows: †¢I have the idea of a God that possess all perfection, †¢Existence is a kind of perfection †¢If the God I am thinking of lacked existence, then he will not be perfect †¢Hence, if I can have the idea of a perfect God, I must conclude that existence is one of God’s essential attributes. †¢If existence is one of God’s essential attributes, he must exist †¢Therefore God exist. Descartes’ bases his argument on the notion that when one clearly understands the nature of something, one would be lead to conceive of all its essential properties. The idea of God according to Descartes is always thought to be the idea of a perfect being. As such, such a being cannot lack perfection of any kind, including existence. And no other being has existence as a part of its essence. Thus Descartes says, it would be contradictory to say, I think of a perfect being who necessarily has existence as its property but who does not exist. Having proved the existence of God, Descartes uses the existence of God to explain his existence. He now sees God as the source of his existence and sustenance. Prior to his discovery of God, he had no idea of why he existed, for he could find no power within him that could bring about his existence. He now realizes that he is imperfect finite and dependent on God. Criticisms of the Cartesian proof of God’s existence. There are many problems with Descartes’ argument. Perhaps, the most obvious are his reliance on the causal principles, his acceptance of his previous scholastic beliefs about the degrees of reality of ideas and of things and his claim that his idea of God is clear and distinct. Descartes posits that the light of nature teaches us how to distinguish what is clear and distinct from what is not. One problem that still remains a puzzle concerns how we  can know when the infallible light of nature is guiding us and when our natural impulses are leading us since we do not have any means of detecting when our natural impulses are leading us from those instances where we are led by the light of nature. Several theologians of Descartes’s time challenged the claim that infinity and perfection must precede all thoughts of finitude and imperfection. One of such critics puts it thus, â€Å"I can surely take a given degree of being, which I perceive within myself, and add on a further degree of being, and thus construct the idea of a perfect being from all the degrees which are capable of being added on.† If finite minds can construct the idea of infinity or perfection in this manner, we do not need to look outside of ourselves in an attempt to account for the origin of our idea of infinity.’ Though many theologians who used this argument agree that there is the existence of God, they simply think that Descartes provided an inadequate argument for the existence of God. Many philosophers have also objected that existence is not a property at all, hence cannot be derived from the concept of God in the same way as God’s benevolence or omnipotence. We can also question Descartes’ claim that his idea of God is clear and distinct. Perhaps, the idea of a supremely perfect being contains a contradiction. Even i f we were to grant Descartes that reality or existence is a property, why must we think that there is a most perfect being-that is, that there is a top to the scale, at which actuality is reached? From our exposition, it is apparent that Descartes’ rationalistic method has led him out of the slit of doubt. He is now certain of the existence of himself and God. The existence of God for him is particularly important because it released him from the prison of his mind. He now knows that something exists outside his own mind and its ideas. Thus, he uses his certainty of the existence of God as a bridge to the external world. It is important to note however that Descartes aim is to show that all knowledge can be derived from reason. He begins with the ‘cogito’ which shows him that he exists as a thinking thing. From the cogito, he knows that what he clearly and distinctly perceives by the ‘light of nature’ must be true. Then he discovers certain clear and distinct principles which together with a clear and distinct idea of God enable him to derive God’s existence. And  ones he has done this, he is able to remove the evil demon as a ground o f doubt since an even more powerful benevolent perfect deity exist. We have successfully examined the issue of the existence of God. We began by examining the ambiguous nature of the concept of God after which we attempted to understand how the truth of the cogito led Descartes to the discovery of the existence of God and the terrestrial world. from our exposition, we can say that conclusions on the existence of God can be divided along numerous axes, producing a variety of independent classifications such as; Theism and atheism, Gnosticism and agnosticism, Ignosticism, and Apatheism. Though Descartes can be criticized and has been criticized on many fronts, his contribution to the God question cannot be over emphasized. He has inspired many after him who have also contributed their quota to the problem all in a view to proffer solution to the perennial problem of God. Bibliography Lawhead F., William, the Voyage of Discovery: A Historical Introduction to Philosophy, second edition, U.S.A: Wadsworth, 2002. Sutchile F. E., Descartes: Discourse on the Method, (trans.) London: Penguin Books, 1968. Ariscombe E. and Geach, P. T., Descartes philosophical writings (Ed.) New York: Open University Press 1971. Beardsley C. Monroe, The European Philosophers from Descartes to Nietzsche, New York: Random House Inc. 1992. Norris C., on Truth and meaning: Language, Logic and the Grounds for Belief, London and New York: Continuum, 2006. Jimoh K. A., Certitude and Doubt: A Guide in Epistemology, Ibadan: Ebony Books and Kreations, 2013.

Consider Atwood’s portrayal of religion in Gilead Essay

All around us we see evidence of the way in which belief is institutionalised and abused. Consider Atwood’s portrayal of religion in Gilead Many modern day beliefs have been used as excuses for war, or as a way of suppressing groups of people. In ‘The Handmaid’s tale’ Atwood has taken abuse of belief and religion to the extreme, using it to create a worrying futuristic dystopia where all laws are based on extracts from the bible and the texts have been twisted to suit the more powerful members of society. It is impossible for handmaids, or many other members of Gilead to check the authenticity of the extracts that rule their life as they are forbidden from reading and the bible is kept locked up. In ‘The Handmaid’s tale’ free will is nothing more than a memory, different Christian branches are at war with each other. The bible is used to justify the regimes and practises of Gilead and sexuality has been suppressed into something shameful and dangerous. Chapter two offers the reader their first decent example of how religion is used within the society of Gilead. It is in the simple use of a name that Atwood is able to immediately establish a link between her dystopia and the bible. ‘Her usual Martha’s dress’. In the bible Martha is the sister of Mary who would devote herself to the housework while Mary went to hear Jesus speak. Marthas in ‘The Handmaids Tale’ are unmarried, infertile women who are expected to perform household duties for the high-ranking members of Gilead. This is the first time the reader is given an example of rank based on religion with Gilead, the reader is made aware of Handmaids and of the Commander earlier in the book but this is the first obvious biblical reference. Martha is not important in the bible, but the powers of Gilead has taken her role and expanded it so that they can justify having slaves within their society. This early example gives the reader an impression of what sort of society Gilead is and what they can expect further into the book as far as rank and religion are concerned. In Chapter eleven Offred is offered the opportunity to get pregnant by the doctor. Offred is worried about being caught having sex with someone who wasn’t the commander. Offred considers the doctors offer, she knows it is a risk ‘but they have to catch you in the act, with two witnesses. ‘ This method of convicting people is taken from Deuteronomy 17:6 ‘At the mouth of two witnesses†¦ shall he that is to die be put to death. ‘ The bible reference is saying that nobody can be convicted when it is just their word against someone else’s, this must be the same way people in Gilead practise law. Unfortunately it would be very easy for two people to get together and agree on the same story if they wanted to frame someone. It also further removes individuality and freethinking, people are already expected to travel in groups of at least two and the suggestion is that one person’s opinion is useless unless supported by someone else. It also makes things very difficult for handmaid’s who are often required to be on their own with the commander’s wife and if there aren’t any witnesses present then there is no crime and the handmaids are left in a very vulnerable position. Television in Gilead is censored, like everything else. It is clear that this society functions by keeping people ve for as long as possible, if they can’t read and their only visual entertainment in censored to suit the ideals of Gilead then they cannot really form their own opinions and would be entirely dependant on what others told them. However the information that comes from the television tells the reader about battles Gilead is involved in. The odd thing about the battles is that they are taking place with different branches of the same religion. ‘Angels of the Apocalypse†¦ are smoking out a pocket of Baptist guerrillas’. ‘Five members of the heretical sect of Quakers have been arrested’. It is possible to read more into the news reports than meets the eye. The Baptists are relying on guerrilla warfare that is commonly the form of warfare used by under-developed countries that aren’t looking for war. There is also a fair amount of irony in the sense that the report claims that the Quakers are heretical or sacrilegious when the reader knows that the society of Gilead is based on sacrilege. This may suggest that Gilead is fighting these other branches of Christianity to stop them from demonstrating to the world, and more importantly to the people of Gilead that their society is based on twisted truths.

Plant Growth Experiments Essays

Plant Growth Experiments Essays Plant Growth Experiments Paper Plant Growth Experiments Paper They grow best in cold seasons. The group selected this study so that they can test the effects of certain mixtures or substances such as water and salt, water and sugar, water and powdered milk, against the effects of water only. The group wanted to find out if these substances would benefit or cause damage to the plants. Statement of Problem Can varying solutions enhance the growth of peachy? Hypothesis The problem under study Is whether different kinds of solutions (such as water and salt, water and sugar, water and milk) will affect the growth of plants. Their objectives are: To determine which solution will benefit peachy plants. *To make a homemade, effective fertilizer Instead of buying expensive ones Significance of the Study Since agriculture is one of the main sources of income for the people in the country, the researchers would want to determine if water mixtures would affect the growth of plants. Their study about the different mixtures, such as water with sugar, water with salt, water with oil and water with soap affecting the growth of plants is significant because this study will educate the people of the things that they do not want to water their plants with. If this study Is successful, the researchers will be able to Inform the people on how they can make their plants grow faster and the substances that would harm them. Through this experiment, we might be able to find ways of increasing the growth of the plants found in our garden. Scope and Limitations The researchers will try to determine whether different substances (water with salt, sugar, powdered milk or water only) will affect the growth of the plants. They will be allotting 2 months for us to see if the water mixtures namely water with salt, sugar, and powdered milk can affect the growth of plants. The plants in trial 1 will be receiving enough sunlight while trial 2 will not be receiving enough sunlight, watered equally and have a control set up so that we can compare the results after the time allotted for the experiment. They will not be spending as much because most of the products they will be using are found at home. They will be having a PH. 500 budget to buy materials that we will need but couldnt find them at our houses. The Independent variable will Include the plants we used In testing, water with the mixtures. The dependent variable will be the result of dealing with or experimenting nee Inaepenaenvexperlmental variable. In tens case, It will De ten amount AT sugar, salt, and powdered milk that they will mix with the water to see if these will affect the Peachy plant we will be using for our experiment. Their controlled variable will consist of the peachy plant and water. Review of Related Literature Tap Water on Plants Tap water is good for plants that need water with chlorine in it, spring water is good for carnivorous plants in order for them to grow, and bottled water is good for plants like cactuses that need mineral water to grow. Sugar on Plants Plants require three essentials, light, water and nutrients to thrive and produce optimum yield. Plants naturally produce sugars, such as glucose and sucrose. These sugars are needed to produce energy, promote growth and aide in the processes of respiration and transpiration. Sugar can also be introduced to a plant through watering to enhance growth and production. Sugar, in moderation, is not harmful to plants. If the amount of sugar in the soil becomes too high, this promotes a higher incidence of fungi and bacteria. A typical fungus that thrives on sugar is yeast. In a study at University of Southern California, here groups of bean plants were watered with different degrees of sugar water (O g, 25 g and 50 g solutions). The group of plants which had been watered with the 50 g sugar/water solution was not only the largest and strongest of the plants, they were also the healthiest and highest yielding plants. Effect of Salt Concentration on Plant Growth Many western farmers believe that soil alkali is more detrimental to crop growth during the hot weather than during the cooler seasons of the year. Other agricultural workers have noted that damage to crops due to alkali (soil salinity) is more serious in he hot interior valleys than along the coast where the climate is more moderate. It is not definitely known whether or not soil salinity concentrations are comparable between different seasons of the year or between respective areas. Yet, information on this question is pertinent to the development of management practices which would aid in ameliorating soil salinity conditions at different seasons of the year and under different climatic conditions. The results obtained in this study show that* most crops are injured by salt to a greater extent in warm than cool climates. The Effect of Water Impurities on Plant Growth The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of water impurities on the growth of plants. Each plant was put near a big window that let in a lot of sun. Two different stems from each plant were marked with bag ties. The heights of the two stems from each plant were measured. The plants were watered with 157. 6 millimeters of the solution. Each plant was watered on Thursday and Sunday. The first solution contained six millimeters of Colors bleach and 151. millimeters of water. The second solution contained 6 grams of sugar and 157. millimeters of water. The third solution contained 6 grams of salt and 157. 6 millimeters of water. On Friday and Monday the height of the stems of each plant were measured, and the height was recorder. I nerve was also a plant Tanat was watered Just Walt water, Tort ten control setup. This experiment ran for four weeks. The data was analyzed to determine which plant grew the most over that period of four weeks. The conclusions of this experiment are that the plant watered with sugar grew the most. Another conclusion is that the control (the plant watered with water) grew a little less than the plant attired with sugar. The plant watered with salt grew a little less than the control, and the plant watered with bleach grew the least amount. The reason that was discovered for why the plant watered with sugar grew the most was because when plants absorb nutrients, they turn them into some form of sugar. This plant didnt have to do that because it was already absorbing sugar. The other substances, except water, probably Just stopped the plants from growing as much. Plant Growth Experiments The instructions below outline a protocol for conducting plant growth experiments in the laboratory. You may want to make adaptations for use in a greenhouse or outdoors. Purpose: To determine the effect of compost on plant germination and growth. Materials: pots, compost, soil, seeds, light source (sunlight or artificial light) Procedure The first step is to design your own experiment. There are many possibilitiesa few ideas are listed here, but the variations are endless: 0 Test various combinations of soil and compost on plant growth. For example, you might wish to dig a soil sample from your school yard and mix it with various amounts of finished compost for planting experiments. Natural soil is better than prepackaged potting soils for experiments such as this because the potting mixes are formulated for optimal plant growth and already contain significant amounts of compost or humus. ) 0 another possibility is to mix your own potting soil by using vermiculite, sand, and compost. Creating several mixtures using the same percentages but different types of compost is a good way of comparing the influence of the various types of compost on plant growth. For example, you could compare compost at various levels of maturity, compost created using different mixtures of organic wastes, or overoptimistic versus impost created in a thermometric system. 0 if you are interested in investigating the effects of compost tea on plant growth, you could fill the pots with a sandy soil or potting medium such as vermiculite, then use compost extracts for watering. Next, whatever type of experiment you choose, make sure that you design your experiment to include replicates of the various treatments.

These Greco-Roman Curses Were the Best Form of Ancient Revenge

These Greco-Roman Curses Were the Best Form of Ancient Revenge Imagine youve just discovered the one you love has been cheating on you with the laundry girl from down the block. Furious, you want to get your vengeance. But youre not going to sink so low as to kill that young tart, are you? No, youre going to ask the gods to do your work for you! Instead, head to the marketplace and have a scribe write down a curse on a tiny scrap of lead. He asks the powers above - or, as well see, below  - to jinx her bowels. Bury that scrap of lead - pierced with a nail to fix its power- on which the scribe wrote somewhere sacred, and youve achieved your revenge! These mysteriously magical leaden texts were called  defixiones, or curse tablets. On a  defixio,  one would  invoke a god or psychopomp (spirits who carried the message to the underworld) in order to influence an individual, group, or animal against their wills; thus, they’re called binding spells. As noted in The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Greek Religion, the focus is not on torment or destruction ... but on laming and putting out of action. In fact, the way the text in defixiones  is set up is legal in nature, a contractual agreement between the gods invoked and the supplicant. Such formulae and phrasings were used in most of the defixiones, regardless of place of origin. These tablets appeared across the Greco-Roman world- and the places it conquered and influenced, from Syria to Britainfrom the Iron Age to the first few centuries A.D. More than 1500 of them have been discovered to date. Many of them have been at  religious locations where temples stood during Greek and Roman times. For example, at Bath in Roman Britain,  defixiones  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹ were deposited in  the watery domains of Sulis Minerva, the protectress of that sanctuary; they were put there because the tablets requested for that goddess to  answer that request. The ones in Britain, especially Bath, mostly dealt with theft and were Romano-British cultural  hybridization at its finest; read more about that here. Other tablets would be placed in graves or pits, presumably because the supplicants were requesting help from infernal spirits or  powers residing in the underworld, like Persephone or Hecate; one would  imagine that, if a curse tablet requested physical harm or death on a person, a grave would be an ideal spot to put that  defixio. Perhaps most significantly, the  defixiones  proved to be some of the few examples we have of writing produced by non-elites in the Greco-Roman world.  They presented a contrast to the writings of many Roman historians that, rather than day-to-day concerns of love and life, concentrated on affairs of conquest and monumental inscriptions that only the rich could afford to set up. Just check out this insane tomb that Romes richest banker built for himself. Cursing Everyone and Everything When wishing for the gods to affect someone negatively in a  defixio, the supplicant might want any number of things, positive or negative, to happen. They could request that a rival be killed or fall sick, or that someone not fall in love with another person. As curse tablet expert Chris Faraone noted in Ancient Greek Love Magic,  these arent technically love spells, since they dont request that somebody fall head over heels for them; instead, it is designed to reduce the competition, by inhibiting the words, the actions, and even the sexual performance of a rival. Or, if a woman isnt into a guy, the supplicant requests that the beloveds movements be restricted so that shed love only him. Heres one example: Seize Euphemia and lead her to me, Theon, loving me with mad desire, and bind her with unloosable shackles, strong ones of adamantine, for the love of me, Theon, and do not allow her to eat, drink, obtain sleep, jest or laugh...Burn her limbs, live, female body, until she comes to me, and not disobeying me. If she holds another man in her embrace, let her cast him off, forget him, and  hate him; but let her feel affection for me... Another prime instance of creepy binding/erotic magic: Spirits of the underworld, I consecrate and hand over to you, if you have any power, Ticene of Carisius. Whatever she does, may it all turn out wrong. Spirits of the netherworld, I consecrate to you her limbs, her complexion, her figure, her head, her hair, her shadow, her brain, her forehead, her eyebrows, her mouth, her nose, her chin, her cheeks, her lips, her speech, her breath, her neck, her liver, her shoulders, her heart, her lungs, her intestines, her stomach, her arms, her fingers, her hands, her navel, her entrails, her thighs, her knees, her calves, her heels, her soles, her toes. Spirits of the netherworld, if I see her wasting away, I swear that I will be delighted to offer a sacrifice to you every year. People also utilized curse tablets to influence pretty much anything they wanted. In order to secure a win, a charioteer paid for inscribed tablets hat requested the gods ensure victory for their team and to destroy their enemies. Check out one that read: Bind the horses whose names and images/likeness on this implement I entrust to you: of the Red (team)... of the Blues. .. Bind their running, their power, their soul, their onrush, their speed. Take away their victory, entangle their feet, hinder them, hobble them, so that tomorrow morning in the hippodrome they are not able to run or walk about, or win or go out of the starting gates, or advance on the racecourse or track, but may they fall down with their drivers... The evidence for curse tablets isnt just archaeological. Literary sources suggest that Emperor Augustuss stepson, Germanicus, one of the most famous generals of his time, died because of poison and a curse; rumor had it that defixiones bearing his name, along evidence of other negative magics, were buried underneath his floorboards.

"Sony Pictures hacked by Russian blackhats, it now emerges Article

"Sony Pictures hacked by Russian blackhats, it now emerges - Article Example Companies require highly sensitive detectors to spot the attackers who get through their private information. The period to begin is before the attack hits: Sony could have managed well its workers well (Qamar, np). Their systems ought to have been under scrutiny of any attacker to keep their data and other third party information private. The worst private invasion in the Sony hack did not occur on to the stars or the executives, but the blameless workers who were used to daily sending and receiving of the system in the company. Consequently, they had their individual love lives, conversations, medical conditions, movie productions, and financial reports on exposure. The media may not have revealed the information but their relatives and colleagues peeked at it. Several personal tragedies unfolded during that period, all being an illustration of the compromised security systems. Information vulnerability can occur to any organization. People should not either reveal their personal details such as intimate conversations on Facebook, text or email to the company. Furthermore, they should not unleash their financial statements to their retailers. It is crucial that every person should be aware of the various crimes that do exist in the internet, and hence respond appropriately to remain safe. Most significantly, the Sony case study was quite a learning experience to both organization and their

Eastern religious traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Eastern religious traditions - Essay Example Accordingly, the tradition belief of the Islamic religion is peculiar in numerous ways; however, its pillars are fundamental in its description and appreciation. The Islamic tradition reveals that, the God, Allah of the Muslim believers is one, ancient with nothing foregoing Him; He is everlasting without end, abiding without termination and subsisting without cessation. This explanation intends to explain the strength and respect bestowed to Allah. It is imperative to note that the tradition attributed to the Islamic religion is immensely attributed to the major distinct features of Allah. They include transcendence, life and power, knowledge, will, hearing and sight, speech and works. It is realizable that from these distinct features the character traits of Allah are manifested. Some of them include a hearer. He hears His peoples supplication; He speaks in various forms such as commanding, threatening promising and forbidding. Moreover, the Quran describes Allah as the source of l ife and power as He manifests Himself as the Almighty, powerful and all subduing. â€Å"Who is the Lord and Sustainer of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "It is Allah." Say: "Do ye then take (for worship) protectors other than Him such as have no power either for good or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Are the blind equal with those who see? Or the depths of darkness equal with Light?" Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created (anything) as He has created so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One the Supreme and Irresistible.† (Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 16). It is evident that this tradition of the Islamic religion involves God called Allah. This study reveals that, Allah is the God of the Islamic believers and none rescinds His command nor supplements His decrees. It is notable that His attributes as described do not resemble

Internal weaknesses that impacted the Islamic Societies during the Essay

Internal weaknesses that impacted the Islamic Societies during the Crudades and Mongol Wars - Essay Example Even though the early crusades were named and were quite successful in realizing the desired objectives, majority of the crusades that took place in the later years were ineffective and thus they were defeated by their counterparts, the Muslims. The Mongols on the other hand invaded Muslim land in the thirteenth century. They moved from one Islamic region to another slaughtering all the Muslims they came across. In just a single city, they slaughtered almost 2 million people. Such had immense effect on the locals in terms of their political power, economy, social life, culture, religion and population as explored in this paper. Soldiers in hundreds of thousands became crusaders through taking of vows, with the Pope granting these soldiers Plenary Indulgence. The emblem of the soldiers in the war was a cross, as the term crusade was derived from a French phrase, â€Å"taking the cross†. Most of the crusaders were from France, calling themselves ‘Franks’ that eventually became a common term among the Muslims. By this time, Christianity was yet to divide into large numbers of intermingled geographical regions which later formed the eastern churches of Byzantine Orthodox and the Western Roman Catholic. The Crusaders just considered themselves as Christians but not as Muslims. They had immense impact on Middle East, and particularly to Islamic religion. Crusades Background Among the powers that medieval popes had was the ability of requesting the kings and monarchs to be provided with troops as well as money to facilitate what they deemed as holy wars, such as the Crusades. The Crusades were fought because of geopolitical, economic and religious conflicts between the Muslims and the Christians.3 The spark for the initial Crusade came in year 1095, at the time when the Byzantines within the European Christians for military assistance against Turks, and Seljuk who had recently captured the city of Jerusalem. In order to increase their chances of receiving more aid, Byzantines exaggerated the rumors of Holy Land atrocities from the Turkish people. Pope Urban II immediately responded by summoning of the Council of Clermont, calling upon the European Catholics knights to recapture the city of Jerusalem because of the religious value that they placed to the Holy Land. In 1096, an army of Crusaders traveled headed to the Middle East through Constantinople, fighting the Muslim forces that they encountered along the way. The army reached Jerusalem two years later, 1099. They placed the city under siege, and they butchered almost every single Jew and Muslim within the walls of th e City. In the process, the Crusaders massacred a significant number of Christians whom were mistaken for Muslims. Because of lack of unity among the Jews, Turks and Muslims, they suffered immense loss and defeat from the Crusaders.4 Crusades in Islamic Society Much of the most important works of histories of crusades are being published and the settlements that have been established within their wake are concerned with the 13th and the 14th Centuries, while the great vistas are providing an opening in the sixteenth centuries.5 The Crusades, which were launched upon the holy land of Middle East from Urban II Speech that took place in 1095 at the Council of Cl

Experiences and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts

Experiences and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts A Mixed Methods Research on the Experience and Suppression of Intrusive Thoughts and other ways of Thought-Control in the Non-Clinical Mauritian Adult Population ‘’The mind is its own place, and in itself can make heaven of Hell, a hell of heaven.’’ Milton The experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts, and the use of other thought-control strategies by normal or non-clinical individuals, are some of those complex cognitive phenomena, which are gradually gaining increasing thorough scientific attention in the world of Psychology. Significantly Wegner Pennebaker (1993) view the experience of intrusive thinking as a remarkably common clinical and normative phenomenon. Hence, it would be wise to underline that intrusive thoughts occur universally. Indeed research on intrusive thoughts always accompanies research on thought control especially thought suppression. Definition Because intrusive thinking is studied alongside manifold psychological disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD), General-Anxiety Disorder (GAD), depression, phobias, eating disorders and even Substance-Use disorder, there are bound to be major differences in the definition of the term ’intrusive thought’. Notably Clark and Purdon (1995; Purdon Clark, 1999) underlined the construct validity problems of some measures utilised in studies about intrusive thoughts in non-clinical populations just because of the broad definitional problem of the term. These researchers have also suggested that both the cognitive characteristics (intrusiveness, thought-control difficulty) and the content of intrusive thoughts have to be considered while defining them. For the purposes of this research, which focuses on the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts, and the use of other thought-control strategies by the non-clinical Ma uritian adult population, we would preferably agree with Rachman’s definition of intrusive thoughts as ‘cognitions that are spontaneous, disruptive, and difficult to control and unwanted’ (Rachman, 1981). Similarly, Clark Rhyno (2005,p.4) define the experience of intrusive thought as ‘any distinct, identifiable cognitive event that is unwanted, unintended, and recurrent’. The focus of this research is on negative intrusive thoughts which are unwelcome, involuntary and distressing. People generally approach these negative thoughts in a myriad of ways. Our next point is that people have different coping or appraisal styles in their approach to unwanted negative thoughts. Many people try to control their intrusive thoughts using different thought control strategies which reflect their appraisal styles. Appraisal is the way in which meaning is attached to intrusive thoughts (OCCWG,1997). It cannot be denied that when some negative intrusive thoughts int erfere with concentration and emotional equilibrium, they become unpleasant and distressing and many people try to banish these thoughts from their awareness. Notably, Sigmund Freud (1915,1957) explained the role of suppression and repression that keep unwanted, unpleasant and distressing thoughts out of awareness. The modern view, as supported by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association; APA, 2000) uses the concepts automatic (unconscious) and voluntary (conscious) processes to refer to the Freudian defence mechanisms: repression and suppression. Ever since Wegner et al (1987) started their White Bear experiments in an attempt to study suppression of intrusive thoughts, many other studies have been gradually carried out, which present thought suppression as an inadequate, counterproductive mental control strategy (Beevers et al, 1999; Bodenhausen Macrae, 1996; Monteith et al, 1998a; Purdon Clark 1999; Wegner 1989, 1992; Wegner et al 1994a; Wegner Wenzlaff 1996). Significant studies have also analysed other thought-control strategies like distraction, punishment, re-appraisal, worry and social control in an attempt to understand how individuals approach their intrusive thoughts (Wells Davies, 1994). Aim of Research The primary aim of this study is to review the research done on the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts in the normal population and analyse the experience and suppression of intrusive thoughts in the normal or non-clinical Mauritian adult population, by shedding light specifically on the different thought-control strategies employed by normal people while coping with intrusive thoughts and most significantly, by analysing suppression as a maladaptive control strategy. Clinical Approach to Intrusive Thoughts and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Initial research on intrusive thoughts started with the analysis of the experience of intrusive thinking in the clinical context and it has verily been observed that intrusive thoughts characterize several clinical disorders, for example, GAD, OCD, Depression, PTSD (Brewin, 1998; Green, 2003; Langlois, Freeston, Ladouceur, 2000a,b; Pudon, 1999; Watkins, 2004). It has also been stated that as well as being symptoms of these disorders, intrusive thoughts also contribute to the maintenance of these disorders (Brett Ostroff, 1985; Brewin, Watson, McCarthy, Hyman Dayson, 1998). There is indubitably a significant relationship between intrusive thinking and OCD. The DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association; APA, 2000) refers to recurrent, intrusive thoughts, images or impulses that are experienced as ego-dystonic (totally inconsistent with the self) and extremely distressing, as partly characterizing OCD. More specifically, many researchers have scrutinized the experience of intrusive tho ughts among OCD patients and have demonstrated that these patients feel compelled to perform compulsive rituals (for instance, neutralizing behaviours etc.) in an attempt to escape from the distressing intrusive thoughts. For them, the performance of these rituals is aimed at the reduction of anxiety and the prevention of a feared outcome from occurring. However these compulsive rituals increase intrusive thinking and therefore, maintain the disorder. Notably, research has demonstrated that OCD patients show deficiencies in cognitive inhibition and when they fail to suppress their thoughts, they make internal attributions of their suppression failures (Tolin et al., 2002). The Obsessive Compulsive Cognitions Working Group (2005) have denoted the relationship of OCD with several specific appraisal styles such as responsibility/overestimated threat, intolerance of uncertainty/perfectionism and importance/control of thoughts. In his cognitive model of OCD, Salkovskis underlines the centrality of responsibility. Rachman (1997) argues that as these intrusive thoughts are ego-dystonic (that is, they perfectly contrast what the self really wants),OCD patients often interpret these thoughts as having personal negative significance and having potentially severe consequences and predicting undesirable outcomes. Furthermore, emphasizing the importance of metacognitions (that is, thinking about thoughts), Wells, Gwilliam and Cartwright-Hatton (2001) elucidate the role of thought-fusion beliefs in the maintenance of the disorder. More concisely, these are: thought-event fusion (the belief that thoughts can change the course of events); thought-action fusion (the be lief that thinking about something means a possibility to act on the thought) and thought-object fusion (the belief that thoughts can be fused into objects). Responsibility beliefs and thought-action fusion beliefs are stronger in people with OCD than those without (Coles, Mennin Heimberg, 2001). Additionally recent cognitive-behavioural theories about OCD have assumed that obsessive thoughts have their roots in some of the thoughts currently experienced by normal individuals (Pudon Clark, 1999; Salkovskis, 1985, 1989). Intrusive thoughts in non-clinical population Ever since Rachman and de Silva (1978) scientifically found that intrusive thoughts are a common non-clinical phenomenon, a plethora of research, especially questionnaire studies have tried to replicate Rachman and de Silva’s research. Using the questionnaire of Rachman and de Silva, Salkovskis and Harrison (1984) confirmed that 88% of a sample of non-clinical individuals experienced at least one intrusive though t. Additionally, according to several other studies, around 79-99% of people in non-clinical samples experience intrusive thoughts similar in nature to those experienced by people suffering from OCD (Freeston, Ladouceur, Thibodeau Gagnon, 1991; Julien, O’Connor Aaredma, 2009; Rachman de Silva, 1978; Salkovskis Harrison, 1984). The real prevalence of intrusive thoughts in non-clinical populations is likely to be on the higher ends of these estimates, as research participants may have underreported their experience of intrusive thoughts due to embarrassment, hesitation and shame. Moreover Pudon and Clark (1993) and Belloch, Morillo, Lucero, Cabedo, and Carrio (2004) also found that 99% of their non-clinical samples (n=293, n=336 respectively) reported having experienced at least one intrusive thought listed in the Obsessive Intrusions Inventory (OII/ROII). But it should be underlined that these researchers also found a slight difference in contents of intrusive thoughts exp erienced by OCD patients and non-clinical samples. OCD patients reported thoughts of dirt, disease and contamination among others. However normal people mainly reported thoughts of unacceptable sex, harm to self, aggression towards others and accidents amongst others. But it might be that the normal people do not consider thoughts about disease, dirt and contamination distressing, thus they are underreported. A Severity Continuum from Normality to Clinical Obsessions The intrusive thoughts reported by normal individuals are considered the ‘normal’ analogues to clinical obsessions and their study allows for better comprehension of the nature of intrusive thoughts. Instead of the normality versus psychopathology breakdown, the modern view discusses the continuity from normality to clinical obsessions. Clark elaborates more on this continuum of intrusive thoughts, by placing clinical obsessions at the extreme end, stating that the difference between clinical and non-clinical cognitive intrusions is ‘one of degree, rather than kind’(Clark,2005, p.11). Similarly Rachman and de Silva (1978) denote a similarity between the content of intrusive thoughts experienced by normal people and people with OCD. The researchers even postulate that psychologists and psychiatrists, who only have the knowledge about the content of the thoughts, have difficulty distinguishing between clinical and non-clinical obsessions. However the same researchers identified a quantitative difference between normal intrusions and clinical obsessions. The difference lies in the intensity and frequency with which these thoughts are experienced. Other studies highlight differences in other variables such as the associated unpleasantness and the level of anxiety occasioned by obsessions, the difficulty in controlling them or freeing the mind from the thoughts, the extent to which people perform neutralizing behaviours or rituals to reduce discomfort and ease anxiety, and the ultimate consequences that result from these intrusive thoughts, because clinical intrusive t houghts interfere remarkably with the daily functioning and life of people suffering from them (Oltmanns Gibbs, 1995; Parkinson ranchman, 1981; Rachman de Silva,1978; Salkovskis Harrison, 1984). Freeston and Ladouceur ( 1997) found that among all the other variables, unpleasantness associated with intrusive thoughts is immensely clinically significant because the assessment of this variable can provide insight to therapists on whether clinical change has occurred or not. Hence this variable can be used to assess therapeutic effectiveness. Theoretical Explanations of Intrusive Thinking Various theorists have attempted to approach intrusive thinking in manifold ways using different approaches like the biological, psychodynamic, behavioural and cognitive approaches. A full discussion of all the approaches is beyond the scope of this thesis. Hence, our analysis will focus on the cognitive and metacognitive approaches. If intrusive thinking is initially a normal phenomenon, then why does it develop into obsessive thinking in a minority? Research has underlined the role of cognitive and behavioural variables in the transition from normality to pathology (Clark Purdon, 1993; Freeston et al, 1991,1992; Niler Beck, 1989; OCCWG, 1997; Purdon Clark, 1994a, 1994b; Rachman,1993). More concisely, cognitive variables are related to the evaluative process (cognitive appraisal) and meaning that an individual attach to his or her negative thought. In clinical cases the meaning assigned to intrusive thoughts might be immensely threatening and disturbing. The behavioural variables are related to the covert and overt actions that the individual performs in response to his or her negative thoughts in an attempt to feel better by decreasing anxiety and discomfort. Salkovskis (1989) highlights the neutralising responses to intrusive thoughts as the key element in the ultimate development of obsessions. Hence the c ontents of normal intrusions and clinical obsessions are basically similar; it’s only the mental and behavioural processing of the negative thoughts that put them on either end of the continuum. Rachman’s (1997) Cognitive Theory of Obsessions According to Rachman (1978), the transformation of normal intrusions into clinical obsessions occurs when the individual considers his thoughts as catastrophic and threatening by viewing them as being personally significant. In an attempt to explain the origins of intrusive thoughts, Rachman (1978) argues that exposure to stressful events occasions the occurrence of intrusive thoughts. Rachman and de Silva (1978) further highlight that external cues trigger the occurrence of normal intrusive thoughts (characterized as being less intense and less distressing) and even clinical obsessions (characterized as being more intense and distressing). This view gained support by the experimental research carried out by Horowitz (1985), Horow itz and Becker (1971), and Horowitz, Becker, Moslowitz and Rashid (1975) which summarized that patients and non- patients experienced increased intrusive thoughts when they were exposed to stressful films. A Metacognitive Approach Metacognitions refer to the beliefs and knowledge about thinking and also the strategies used in the regulation and control of thinking processes (Flavell, 1979). Indeed, metacognitions are responsible for the shaping of the attention we pay to things, thoughts and so on, and they also determine the appraisal and the strategies we employ to regulate our thoughts. Adrian Wells (1997) developed the metacognitive therapy by positing that people experience emotional disturbance, distress and anxiety because of the Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS) which consists of the perseverative thinking style including worry, rumination, attention focused on threat, thought suppression, ineffective self-regulating strategies and maladaptive coping behaviours. The CAS i s a maladaptive style of responding to thoughts and feelings and it enhances negative emotions and the occurrence of intrusive thoughts. The author highlights the presence of a higher degree of this syndrome in clinical patients suffering from depression and other anxiety disorders. He also differentiates between the ‘object mode’ and ‘metacognitive mode’ of mental processing.