The Perfect Murder

The Perfect Murder The Perfect MurderSection 215 of the Criminal code clearly outlines restrictions regarding the withholding or withdrawal of medications to assist a suicide. This section states that, "every one is under a legal duty to provide necessaries of life to a person under his charge if that person is unable, by reason of (...) illness, mental disorder or other cause, to withdraw himself from that charge and is unable to provide himself with the necessaries of life." With these restrictions, many individuals feel their rights are being infringed upon. Doctors especially handle patients extremely cautiously when prescribing medication of any kind. Often a patient will not be administered an ample amount of medication, for fear that if the inevitable occurs, the doctor will be held criminally responsible.In Norway, one doctor has tried testing the laws of euthanasia and suffered the consequences. Dr. Christian Sandsdahlen, age 82, was convicted of first-degree murder by the Supreme Court of Nor way on April 14, 2000.Distributing copies of the Canadian Charter of Rig...Dr. Sandsdahlen was asked by Bodil Bjerkmann (age 42 and suffering from an incurable multiple sclerosis) to help end his agony by prescribing a lethal dose of morphine. The doctor complied and when Bodil Bjerkmann passed away peacefully, Dr. Sandsdahlen demanded to be tried for murder. He was convinced that ethical considerations would prevent him from a conviction and open the door to a judicial debate about the subject. Although the doctor appears to have failed, it is apparent that euthanasia laws in Europe are becoming less strict. Even in Canada it is apparent that euthanasia cannot be ignored.A Saskatchewan farmer, Robert Latimer, was tried for the mercy killing of his severely disabled daughter in October 1997. He was found guilty of second degree murder, which in Canada carries a minimum sentence of ten years, however,

How to Conjugate the Verb Trovare in Italian

How to Conjugate the Verb Trovare in Italian â€Å"Trovare†, despite its common definition of â€Å"to find†, is actually a diverse verb that’s worth taking the time to get to know, so here are examples and conjugation tables to help you do just that. Some Definitions of â€Å"Trovare† To findTo come upon/acrossTo meet (with)To thinkTo believe What to Know About â€Å" Trovare† It’s a  regular verb, so it follows the typical -are verb ending pattern.It’s a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object.The infinito is â€Å"trovare†.The participio passato is â€Å"trovato†.The gerund form is â€Å"trovando†.The past gerund form is â€Å"avendo trovato†. INDICATIVO/INDICATIVE Il presente io trovo noi troviamo tu trovi voi trovate lui, lei, egli,ella trova essi, Loro trovano Esempi: Orvieto à ¨ bellissimo, non trovi? - Orvieto is beautiful, don’t you think?Trovo che questo abito ti stia benissimo! - I think this dress looks great on you!Non lo trovo!! - I can’t find it! Il passato prossimo io ho trovato noi abbiamo trovato tu hai trovato voi avete trovato lui, lei, Lei, ha trovato essi, Loro hanno trovato Esempi: Hai trovato gli occhiali? - Did you find your glasses?La cena a casa di Alessia l’ho trovata deliziosa. - I thought the dinner at Alessia’s was delicious. L’imperfetto io trovavo noi trovavamo tu trovavi voi trovavate lui, lei, Lei trovava essi, Loro trovavano Esempi: Da bambina lo trovavo molto bello.   - From when I was a little girl, I thought he was really handsome.Scusa, ho fatto tardi ma non trovavo le chiavi. - Sorry, I’ve been late but I couldn’t find the keys. Il trapassato prossimo io avevo trovato noi avevamo trovato tu avevi trovato voi avevate trovato lui, lei, Lei aveva trovato essi, Loro avevano trovato Esempi: Mi disse che aveva trovato un fidanzato. - She told me that she had found a boyfriend. Il passato remoto io trovai noi trovammo tu trovasti voi trovaste lui, lei, Lei trov essi, Loro trovarono Esempi: Quando ero in Italia, trovai una bellissma borsa di pelle. - When I was in Italy, I found a beautiful leather purse.Tutti trovarono la sua battuta poco appropriata. - Everybody believed his joke was  inappropriate. Il trapassato remoto io ebbi trovato noi avemmo trovato tu avesti trovato voi aveste trovato lui, lei, Lei ebbe trovato essi, Loro ebbero trovato TIP: This tense is rarely used, so don’t worry too much about mastering it. You’ll find it in very sophisticated writing. Il futuro semplice io trover noi troveremo tu troverai voi troverete lui, lei, Lei trover essi, Loro troveranno Esempi: Fidati, troverai il lavoro dei tuoi sogni!   - Trust me, you’ll find your dream job. Il futuro anteriore io avr trovato noi avremo trovato tu avrai trovato voi avrete trovato lui, lei, Lei avr trovato essi, Loro avranno trovato Esempi: Vedi i suoi occhi sdolcinati? Avr trovato l’amore della sua vita! - Do you see his lovestruck  eyes? He must have found the love of his life! CONGIUNTIVO/SUBJUNCTIVE Il presente che io trovi che noi troviamo che tu trovi che voi troviate che lui, lei, Lei trovi che essi, Loro trovino Esempi: Spero che troviate la casa perfetta per voi. - I hope that you find the perfect house. Il passato io abbia trovato noi abbiamo trovato tu abbia trovato voi abbiate trovato lui, lei, Lei abbia trovato essi, Loro abbiano trovato Esempi: Credo che il suo ex l’abbia trovata su Facebook! - I think her ex found her on Facebook! L’imperfetto io trovassi noi trovassimo tu trovassi voi trovaste lui, lei, Lei trovasse essi, Loro trovassero Esempi: Non sapevo che lui trovasse una ragazza a Roma. - I didn’t know that he found a girlfriend in Rome. Il trapassato prossimo io avessi trovato noi avessimo trovato tu avessi trovato voi aveste trovato lui, lei, Lei avesse trovato essi, Loro avessero trovato Esempi: Vorrei che avessimo trovato il tuo nonno. - I wish we could have found your grandfather.Te l’avrei detto se l’avessi trovato! - I would have told you if I had found it! CONDIZIONALE/CONDITIONAL Il presente io troverei noi troveremmo tu troveresti voi trovereste lui, lei, Lei troverebbe essi, Loro troverebbero Esempi: Digli la verit! Lui troverebbe fantastico che tu voglia trasferirti in Italia. - Tell him the truth! He  would think it’s great that you want to move to Italy. Il passato io avrei trovato noi avremmo trovato tu avresti trovato voi avreste trovato lui, lei, Lei avrebbe trovato essi, Loro avrebbero trovato Se tu fossi stato pià ¹ grande, avresti trovato Milano molto interessante. - If you had been older, you would have thought Milan was very interesting.

World Literature (See attched Word Document for insutruction) Essay

World Literature (See attched Word Document for insutruction) - Essay Example Human justice is defined as one that takes vengeance on those that have done wrong against other. This moves into human injustice, which states that the murder is not committed against an external enemy, but is instead committed against the self. The divine justice is briefly referred to and is used to please the gods instead of to bring justice to society. In comparison to divine justice, this does not reward one for actions that are righteous, but instead punishes them for something that is believed as wrong. The system I would rather live under is divine justice. The ability to have compassion and reward for fearing God is one that allows one to live peacefully, as opposed to taking vengeance on those who have done wrong. The argument of all three friends would be to have human justice. Whenever something is wrong, there is the immediate desire to take revenge or to get even. Instead of living righteously, most build into a system that is based on vengeance. 2. According to the Bhagavad – Gita, the ability to be saved is one that happens when one recognizes God or the prophet of God and comes out of ignorance and irreligion. As this happens, the soul is able to progress through life cycles while coming closer to God. If one does not move out of this, then they reincarnate into a different form, either animal or human. The ignorance that they carry turns into karma and the things of the past they have done with good intent turns into dharma. As one progresses, the karma can turn into dharma, which helps the soul to progress and to be saved. Kabir has a similar concept about being saved and the progression of the soul. Kabir recognized that as one overcame ignorance and recognized the Supreme Being, they were able to eliminate karma. As this happened, the individual was able to become an enlightened soul. When one reached the highest realm of enlightenment, they were recognized as bahkti, which meant that they were an

Economic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Economic - Essay Example This article was about the slight drop in China’s passenger vehicle sales in February. 2. Introduction Economics is very essential because it affects our life everyday. As a worker and a consumer, we will have to make economic decisions like how to spend our income. Sometimes, the cost of all the goods and services that we need and want to buy is greater than our income. So, we have to analyze the situation and choose among our choices carefully. We make decisions about learning, working, earning and spending. And we can make all these decisions more effectively if we have better understanding of economics. A good way to start understanding economics is by examining how markets work and who participates in them. All these market participants come into the marketplace because they specific goals to satisfy. They have to pursue their self-interests; buyers maximize their incomes while suppliers maximize their profits. These maximizing behaviors are the driving force of market ec onomies. But it is not just about the buyers and the sellers; governments can also affect the individual choices or influence the marketplace in terms of taxes. This paper will try to figure out how markets, specifically the auto markets, work and examine the factors that may affect the decisions of the participants in the auto market. Economic concepts like demand, supply, price and tax will be the primary tool that will be utilized in this paper. 3. Analysis A. Market The term market simply refers to a place or situation where an economic exchange occurs – where a buyer and a seller interact (Schiller 2006, 47). It exists wherever and whenever an exchange takes place. The exchange of money or resources with goods and services is the market transaction. And in every market transaction, there must a buyer and a seller. The buyer represents the demand side because they demand goods and services in exchange with their money while the seller represents the supply side as they wi ll supply goods and services in exchange for the money. In this paper, the market to be examined is the auto market in China and its participants – the buyers of cars and the sellers or the auto makers like General Motors Co, Ford, Toyota and Mazda and the government. B. Demand â€Å"The Chinese lunar new year also bolstered demand for big-ticket items, but the following months could be challenging for automakers† (usa.chinadaily.com 2011, 2). For us to understand such statement, we should have the basic idea of what demand is. Schiller (2006, 48) defined demand as the buyers' willingness and ability to buy specific quantities of a good at alternative prices in a given period of time. It is inversely related to price. This means that the quantity of a good demanded in a given period of time increases as its price falls. This relationship is also referred to as the Law of Demand. In one of our articles, there was a recorded increase in demand for cars between December a nd January brought about by the tax incentives imposed by the government. Tax like sales tax affects the quantity of goods and services that consumers may demand. As it is an addition to the actual price of a good, the higher the tax imposed on the good the lesser quantity of that good the consumers will demand. For this purpose, Table 1 shows the effect of 10 per cent tax imposed on different prices of car. Price of

Unemployment in America Essay Example for Free

Unemployment in America Essay Here is good news for you: according to the New York Times, the unemployment rate in America dropped to 7.7% which is the lowest rate in four years. But is this rate low enough? The answer is no. The labor market is far from recovery. There are around 11 million people who still need jobs. Throughout American history of unemployment, The United States has experienced 11 recessions since the end of the postwar period in 1948. The U.S. unemployment rate rose steadily from 5% in January 2008 to a peak of 10% in October 2009. For college students, when we graduate and are getting ready for the taste of the real world, we will find out that the real world is not easy and it is not always fair. Good jobs are very few and far between, especially during the high unemployment rate period. The reason we care about unemployment so much is because the unemployment has many bad influences. First, the unemployment has psychological consequence. According to the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues: the stress of unemployment can lead to declines in individual and family well-being. The burden of unemployment can also affect outcomes for children. The stress and depressive symptoms associated with job loss can negatively affect parenting practices such as increasing punishment. As a result, children report more distress and depressive symptoms. Second, the unemployment affects the social stability. The unemployment will result in low-quality housing, underfunded schools and lack of money, and all these factors can link to the increase in the property crime. The unemployment also causes the loss in consumer spending which is the significant driver of economic growth. The main reason of unemployment is the lack of demand. There are several reasons that cause the demand is less than supply. The first reason is high tax rate. Businesses need to pay more tax in America than many other countries, and if the costs that companies need to pay are too high, the companies may cut some jobs in order to reduce the training and wage costs. Since the tax costs and wage rates are very high in America, businesses may choose to move their companies to other countries, such as china and India, thus leading to huge amount of job loss in America. For example, the labor costs in China are much lower than in America, so if one business chooses to outsource some parts of the company, it will save lots of money, but decrease the potential job opportunities in America. Automation also affects the demand. The technology plays more and more important role nowadays; hence, people are placed by machines. For example, there are many self-check machines in groceries and airports, and these turn out the decreases in needs of jobs. In general, employment is still a big problem in America. The main reason for unemployment is the lack of demand. The unemployment has psychological and material influences for people, and it also affects the national economy and social stability. We all want jobs; we all want better lives. Job does not mean anything, but without a job, what can we do as college students? Not only for us, but also the family members and friends around us; we need chances to prove ourselves, and enjoy the life in the steady environment.

Essay --

e of performance enhancing drugs in sports Performance enhancing drugs should be prohibited in all associations in sports. Not only because it dismantles the playing field for all athketes but it ruins athlete’s lives and careers in many ways. Titles can be revokes and winnings can be rejected. The side effects are horrendous and it ruins the love for the sport each true athlete participates in. Athletes think that performance enhancing drugs level out the playing field and let all of the current athletes compete on the same level. This only will make things worse than they already seem. Currently there are players who trained day in and day out, putting in hard work every hour of the day, compete on the same level, and go the extra mile for the sport they love. They all compete to be the supiroror athlete but these are the ones that are being pushed to the side and not receiving any credit for their achievements. Athletes who use performance enhancing drugs have a huge advantage over athletes who don’t. athletes who do use these drug have a gain in strength, less body fat, and better bone density . Lance Armstrong is the best Cyclist out there today. He would win race after race, tour after tour, but he only accomplished this because of the use of performance enhancing drugs. He used a drug called EPO which is an illegal transfusion of oxygenated blood cells that are put into an athlete’s body to help their blood cells stay oxygenated. This drug would take the athletes ability to perform for a long period of time to a whole knew level. This gave players, cyclist, and runners such an advantage that they could be stripped of their titles or medals received if they were caught. Oprah Winfrey interviewed lance about his use of drugs.... ...e. He stated, â€Å"My son would walk the halls and tell kids that his dad did not use drugs or his dad was clean† (Oprah and Lance Armstrong). All competitors know that using performance enhancing drugs is wrong. But some know that it helps them get a step ahead of other athletes, risking their lives, family bond, and career. Even though these drugs are very desirer able the side effect are just not worth the risk. These drugs dismantle the playing field in all sports. It is not fair to other athletes who work their butts off day in and day out to achieve greatness. These drugs are not worth the risk. It’s not worth knowing that the only way you got to the top of the game was by cheating. A saying that everyone knows is cheaters never win... so get rid of performance enhancing drugs in sports or watch the concept of sports take a huge turn for the worse in the future .

Ken Wilber

The man who, for many years, has been acknowledged by colleagues as the leading theoretician of consciousness and transpersonal psychology, Ken Wilber, was born in 1948 in Oklahoma City, to two devoted parents. Wilber's intellect has been hailed as truly extraordinary in its penetrating, synthesizing, and discriminative capacities. His knowledge of psychology, philosophy, sociology, comparative religion, mysticism, anthropology, and even â€Å"hard† sciences such as biochemistry and physics is virtually encyclopedic, but, most importantly, he has personal experience with the states and levels of consciousness about which he writes.Although he certainly should not be viewed as only an intellectual, his affinity for the mental and spiritual realms, as opposed to the bodily and emotional realms, is clear. Likewise, although his passion is greater for transpersonal than prepersonal and personal stages of development, he has nonetheless consistently emphasized the dire need to reco gnize and embrace a full-spectrum view of consciousness and humanity's place therein.Life and Major WorksWilber grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. His father was an air force officer. As a youth, he was absorbed in the world of natural sciences, biology, chemistry and mathematics. Referring to his late high-school and early college days, Wilber notes, â€Å"My mental youth was an idyll of precision and accuracy, a fortress of the clear and evident.† (Wilber 58) His encounter with the Tao-te-Ching changed everything: â€Å"It was as if I were being exposed, for the very first time, to an entirely new and drastically different world -a world beyond the sensical, a world outside of science, and therefore a world quite beyond myself.† (Wilber 58)From here on, the investigation of the world beyond the personal self yet accessible to human consciousness became a passion that involved not just Wilber's intellect but his entire being. Beginning in his early twenties and continuing to this day, he has taken up training in various contemplative practices such as Zen and Dzogchen (a form of Tibetan Buddhism) that would enable him to walk the terrain he charts in his writings.Wilber dropped out of graduate studies in biochemistry to devote himself fulltime to the pursuit of his research and writing about consciousness. His first major book, The Spectrum of Consciousness written in 1977, was a synthesis of Western psychological theories and therapies with Eastern spiritual disciplines. From this time onward, Wilber supported himself by his own writings, living outside of institutional affiliations and commitments, free to develop and express his own ideas, free to live a lifestyle of contemplation and writing. To balance mental and spiritual work with embodied living, he at times engaged in manual labor, such as working in gas stations (Wilber 88).Several books and over a hundred journal articles soon appeared. The Atman Project 1980 set forth a vastly expanded fr amework for human development from infancy to adulthood and beyond into transpersonal stages described by diverse contemplative disciplines. Up from Eden (1981b) presented a detailed map of the evolution of the human mind and consciousness within this framework. The popular No Boundary (1981a), explains Wilber's early ideas in a highly readable style, while some of his more technical works such as Eye to Eye: The Questfor the New Paradigm for the New Paradigm (1990a) discuss the epistemological bases of knowing in the various sciences and how these could be expanded to accommodate the fun spectrum of consciousness.Wilber's ideas, larger than life and expressed through a powerful and often sharply critical writing style, have left few readers neutral or indifferent. Over the years he has engaged in lively debates with people who have taken issue with his controversial ideas, including other prominent theorists in transpersonal psychology. Most of these debates were carried on in the pages of journals and in his most recent books. Few of his colleagues in transpersonal and consciousness studies have met him in person. To their chagrin, Wilber guards his privacy carefully and rarely makes an appearance in public.He initially accepted invitations to teach, lecture, and give interviews but then quickly pulled back from such activity, as he felt thrown off center by the attention and admiration from his audiences. Regarding this experience, Wilber said in an interview, â€Å"What you get are a lot of people telling you how great you are. Within a short time, you start believing them, and then you're headed for disaster. I simply did not feel competent to appear in public as a teacher† (Schwartz 186). Getting Wilber to agree even to an interview is not easy. Yet when he does give his time, he gives generously, and to his small circle of close friends. Wilber is known as a devoted friend who can be warm, charming, and funny (Schwartz 204).Wilber's first marriag e to his best friend Amy Wagner in 1972 lasted for nine years, after which they parted ways amicably. Two years later Wilber met and married Treya Killam. One week after the wedding, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. The next five years were spent battling a relentless cancer that eventually claimed her life. During those five years Wilber set aside most of his writing and devoted himself full-time to nurturing Treya and, eventually, to helping her to die. Grace and Grit (1991), which appeared two years after her death, provides a moving account of the emotional and spiritual struggles and transformations in both Wilber and Treya during those trying years.The long hiatus in Wilber's writing ended in 1995 with the publication of the first volume of a planned three-volume series, Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality: The Spirit of Evolution (SES) (1995b). This 800 page volume was soon followed by two shorter companion works, A Guide to Sex, Ecology, Spirituality (1995a) and A Brief Hist ory of Everything (1996). A new chapter had just begun in Wilber's writing career. Up to this point, the emphasis had been largely on the upward movement of evolution, but in SES the upward movement is balanced by the movement downward: Spirit ascending to higher unities is at the same time Spirit descending to embrace and integrate the manifold of phenomena. By Wilber's own estimation SES is his first mature work. It offers an integral vision that encompasses practically everything humans have ever sought to know or be.Wilber’s IdeasTranspersonal TheoryKen Wilber has been the most influential theorist in transpersonal psychology. Wilber's developmental model in The Atman Project has the advantage of meshing with developmental psychology and extending it to transpersonal growth. Wilber says that people move through three life stages: pre-personal, personal, and transpersonal growth. The pre-personal stage begins at birth, before a personality is developed.From birth to adoles cence the task is to build a personality. In the personal stage the individual's task is to use the personality in work, relationships, and mature life in the world. In the transpersonal stage, usually beginning in adult life, the person begins to move beyond the external world and explore the inner reaches of the self and spiritual realities. The ultimate purpose is to attain the state of oneness or unity with the consciousness of the universe. Wilber contends that the growth toward these levels of being is a natural movement of the self, an inward arc in contrast to the outward arc that relates to the external world.The Spectrum of DevelopmentDevelopment, for Wilber, extends from inanimate matter and primitive life forms through the developmental stages of human consciousness to its farthest reaches as manifested by the mystics and sages of various Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. The stages leading to mature adulthood are familiar enough. They have been charted by theori sts such as Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Lawrence Kohlberg, and various psychoanalysts. Wilber draws especially from Piaget for the un-foldment of the cognitive and mental capacities and integrates these with the dynamic theories of object-relations psychoanalysis.Wilber identifies four transpersonal stages beyond mature adulthood: psychic, subtle, causal, and ultimate. Through these stages the sense of self or identity becomes more and more flexible and inclusive as self-centrism or narcissism continues to decrease, until at the highest stages of transpersonal development even the subtlest and most inclusive self-structurations are transcended in a sense of identity and connectedness that embraces all.At each stage things can go wrong, and so there is a spectrum of pathology corresponding to the spectrum of development all the way up to the highest transpersonal stages. Wilber discusses treatment modalities for each pathology and calls attention to the importance of correctly discern ing levels of pathology for example pre-personal or transpersonal so that appropriate treatment can be chosen. For example, he argues that meditation may not be suitable for borderline and other pre-personal pathologies, whereas for an existential depression or â€Å"dark night of the soul† that may occur in the lower transpersonal stages meditation may be a successful method of treatment.The charting of transpersonal development is undoubtedly Wilber's most controversial project. It implies that human development is open ended and that some individuals are â€Å"farther along† in development than other people, or that at any given time some people, and perhaps some cultures, have a more encompassing sense of self and a greater capacity for integrating the spectrum of consciousness than others. A number of cultural anthropologists, feminists, and ecophilosophers have criticized Wilber's theory in this regard. Certainly, the idea of development beyond â€Å"the average well-adjusted† is not new; it was celebrated in Maslow's notion of the self-actualizer. But in proposing developmental stages beyond self-actualization, Wilber is venturing into ever more rarified realms of human experience where the stakes are set high yet evidence is hard to come by.Nevertheless, it seems fair to say that Wilber's transpersonal stages have opened up the horizon far beyond anything conceived in Western scientific psychology. This horizon had been there all along, of course, and through the centuries it was explored by the mystics and seers whose anecdotal accounts, couched in religious symbolism and interpretations, only helped to shroud it in impenetrable mystery. For consciousness researchers, Wilber offers a greatly expanded paradigm of scientific inquiry. For those on a spiritual quest, he provides a map for the road.The Three Eyes of KnowingThe paradigm of consciousness research has been too narrowly modeled after the empirical sciences, argues Wilber. It can be significantly expanded once we realize that the eye of flesh, that is, our senses aided by laboratory instruments, is just one of the possible ways in which knowledge is gathered. We also have the eye of reason that understands the meaning of text, cultural symbols, and mathematical equations as well as the meaning of the data the eye of flesh observes. Beyond reason, says Wilber, there is the eye of contemplation that intuits directly the nature of reality and of the meanings deciphered by the eye of reason.The Pre/Trans FallacyAnother important concept of Wilber's that helps clear up misunderstandings regarding the transpersonal domain is what he calls the â€Å"pre/trans fallacy.† This is the failure to distinguish between primitive phenomena of early developmental stages, on the one hand, and insights and experiences that transcend the egoic mode of rational consciousness, on the other. Both types of phenomena are, in their own ways, â€Å"nonrational† an d â€Å"nonegoic,† and this is why they can appear similar or even identical. But phenomena of the first type are â€Å"prerational† or â€Å"preegoic,† whereas phenomena of the second type are â€Å"transrational† or â€Å"transegoic.†The pre/trans fallacy can occur in two ways. In the first, â€Å"trans† is reduced to â€Å"pre.† Freud's interpretation of the â€Å"oceanic feeling† associated with mystical experience as an irrational, regressive urge to return to the womb is a classic example of such a reduction. In general, the dismissal of all spiritual insights as regressive exemplifies the reductionist form of the pre/trans fallacy. In the second form of the fallacy, â€Å"pre† is elevated to â€Å"trans.† The elevationist form of the pre/trans fallacy is evident in the various ways in which prerational experience and modes of expression are promoted in the name of higher personal growth.Wilber's discussion of the pre/trans fallacy may well be one of his most useful practical contributions to the growing numbers of people searching for a spiritual path or engaging in some form of contemplative practice (Schwartz 260). Often the spiritual search masks primitive longings rooted in early developmental deprivations. On the other hand, sometimes an apparent psychotic break signals a major spiritual breakthrough. An insight into the pre/trans fallacy helps spiritual questers as well as therapists to be more discerning of the nature of the beast they are dealing with.Holism: Restoring Connectedness in the WorldIn his more recent writings, Wilber has articulated his philosophy of holism. To be truly holistic, the vision of a whole must include everything, including itself. But more important, it must integrate and connect all that it embraces. So the issue is not holism versus atomism, but fractured ness versus connectedness. Furthermore, the solution cannot be a matter of articulating the bes t and most holistic position, for this still leaves out the person proposing or accepting the position. Rather, what is required is a transformation of consciousness within the person, within all of us that shifts the viewpoint from the exterior increasingly to the interior and on to a superior view that is ever more inclusive and connected.Wilber has sounded a powerful call for us to awaken to the evolutionary process taking place within us, within the universe, not in some distant future but right now (Puhakka 152). This evolution is fundamentally open and creative and therefore, at every turn, incomplete and uncertain. We live in systems within systems, contexts within contexts, of indefinitely expanding structures of experiences, meanings, and relationships. These systems are constantly sliding and the contexts shifting, says Wilber.The vision of an open universe unfolding and enfolded upwards and downwards without end effectively removes all bases for certainty and completeness . For many people, the postmodern quicksand world spells despair and a sense of being lost in the ever-shifting contexts that claim power of determination over meaning and values and render human lives pointless and empty.The absolutizing of context is an unfortunate, even if unintended, legacy of much of postmodern thought. Wilber sees the emphasis on context as being appropriate but not going deep enough: We must recognize that the contexts themselves are shifting and evolving, along with everything else. The evolution, we are a part of excludes nothing, not even the contexts that bound our understanding and awareness. Evolution is the journey of the universe toward self-awareness, now through human consciousness that is becoming increasingly aware of its own contexts.ConclusionKen Wilber is a controversial figure among the late-twentieth-century thinkers on culture and consciousness. The evolution of consciousness is Wilber's main concern. He finds all of the major sciences, phil osophies, and spiritual traditions, both Eastern and Western, relevant to this concern, for they exemplify the process of evolution even as they shed light on it. The light is always partial, however, and how to fit the partial truths together is, for Wilber, the supreme puzzle. A superb synthesizer with ability to absorb and integrate large amounts of information across various disciplines, he sketches the contours of a panoramic vision of evolution as an unfolding of Spirit through matter, life, and mind.Works CitedEngler J. Therapeutic aims in psychotherapy and meditation: Developmental stages in the representation of self. Boston: Shambhala, 1986.Puhakka K. Restoring connectedness in the Kosmos: A healing tale of a deeper order. Humanistic Psychologist, 23 (1995): 373-391.Schwartz T. The full spectrum: Common Boundary. Los Angeles: Tarcher, 1995.Wilber K. The spectrum of consciousness. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1977.Wilber K. The Atman project. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books. 1980.Wil ber K. No boundary. Boston: Shambhala, 1981.Wilber K. Odyssey. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 22(1) (1982): 57-90.Wilber K. A sociable God. New York: New Press, 1983.

Religion: God and Moral Standards Essay

The topic that I have chosen to discuss for my final argumentative paper is â€Å"Religion†. I chose this topic because it plays a major role in my everyday life. During this paper I will discuss the most important part about religion, God. I will discuss whether the proof of the existence of God is necessary. I will then talk about the argument for the existence of God that I feel is the strongest and why I feel that it is. Then I will discuss the foundations of the Universe and where it emerged from. Another topic that I discuss is whether or not one can be moral and not believe in God. Next I will discuss whether or not science and religion are in conflict. God’s omniscience and human free will is another topic that will be covered during this paper. The last important topic that I will discuss during this paper is whether or not there is a rational argument for atheism. I believe that this paper will be interesting for me to write. I believe that God will always be real in my heart, whether or not any physical proof is ever found of him. Reading about the various proofs of the existence of God was very interesting for me. I say this because I am a firm believer in God and to think about how some people rationalize his non-existence to them is hard for me to understand. The argument that seems to be the best to me is the â€Å"Cosmological argument†. The argument states that â€Å"if something exists something else had to bring it into existence†. It goes on to talk about how things that exist do so because something else caused it to exist. It calls the something that brought I into existence â€Å"a first cause†. The only thing or being that could qualify as the first cause is God. Therefore, God would be the originating source of the universe, which I truly believe. I believe that philosopher’s have always sought proof of God’s existence because it was hard for them to believe that the world just happen one day. I think that they have always questioned the complexity of the world and knew there had to be some type of designer. I agree with this because the world is just too amazing and complex to just appear one day. Even if you believe in evolution, you still would have to question where the first being or animal came from. Everything has an origin and I believe that God is the origin of the universe. So the next topic to be discussed is the foundation of the universe and from where did the universe emerge. It has been said many times that â€Å"scientists believe that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which is called the Big Bang†. This is considered to be the start of space and of time itself. However, it is believed that something that is outside of space, time and matter that caused this to come into existence. This theory was proven by astronomer Edwin Hubble in the late 1920’s. The way that the Big Bang theory is described parallels what the bible says about the beginning of life. The bible states â€Å"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth†¦and God said ‘let there be light and there was light†. I believe that this could be considered proof regarding the existence of God. I know that some scientists disagree and want to say that the universe came from the laws of physics, but none of these things existed before the initial blast. Another part of religion is being a moral person. So a question that has been asked is â€Å"can one be moral and not believe in God†? There are some people in today’s society that believe that you don’t need God to be moral, but I don’t necessarily believe that. They believe that people can set their own rules for life, and have their own personal values. I don’t believe that this would be a good idea considering the fact that everyone’s values are different, so there would be no standard for us to live by. In order for us to judge whether or not something moral or good then we should have a set of certain values that you would judge them by. It is said that to believe in God means that you believe in moral standards. Philosopher Immanuel Kant pointed out â€Å"we need an omnipotent God to enforce moral standards to make sure that everyone is properly rewarded and punished†. He stated this because he believed that â€Å"moral standards without moral sanctions don’t mean much†. I believe that people live a more meaningful life when they believe in the morals created by God and not by man. I say this because I believe that man will come up with moral standards that will only benefit him, but God comes up with morals that will benefit everyone. However, I don’t think this means that everyone that does not believe in God is immoral. There are some that still do good and behave responsibly without believing in him. I think that it just depends on the person and how they chose to live their lives. We will now go on to discuss whether or not science and religion are in conflict. It is said that most of the time science and religion are not in conflict, and that they only conflict on certain topics. One example of their conflict would be whether or not the Earth is the center of the universe, or the sun the center of the universe. The church teaches that the Earth is the center and that the Sun, Moon and other planets revolve around it. However, some scientists have taught that the Sun is the center of the universe and that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun. Another example of conflict between science and religion is regarding the creation of man and Earth and evolution. Cosmologists believe that the universe is about 13. 7 billion years old, but the Earth is only 4. 5 billion years old. So this would mean that the universe was here long before the Earth, so therefore the universe could not revolve around the Earth. I still don’t fully understand how they came up with their calculation, so I don’t believe them. I still believe that God created the Earth and the universe at the same time. It has been stated that the conflict exist because â€Å"science is based on observation of nature†, and religion is â€Å"largely based on faith†. I am more of a faith based person, so that is why I believe the God created the universe. We will now discuss whether or not God’s omniscience and human free will can be reconciled. Personally I don’t think they can be reconciled. Free will is defined as â€Å"the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion†. It was said that because God’s foreknowledge determines all human choice and activity, then God’s omniscience conflicts with human free will. I am a believer in human free will, but I also believe in God’s omniscience. I believe that God does predetermine how he wants our lives to be, but he also gives us choices that will decide which path our lives will take. I have always believed that God has put certain people in our lives for a reason, and we are also sometimes put into certain situations for a reason. I believe that this is done in order to teach us a lesson and so we can learn to make better decisions on our own. So I believe that ultimately the two can work together perfectly. The final topic I will discuss is whether or not there is a rational argument for Atheism. Personally I don’t agree with atheism, but I do understand that everyone has right to their own beliefs. It has been stated that people believe in atheism for a number of reasons. One example that is given is that they get tired of â€Å"watching the multitude of bad things happening to good people in the world†. As far as this statement goes, I was taught in church that â€Å"it rains on the just (good), just like it rains on the unjust (bad), so you should not use this as an excuse to not believe in God. Another example is the people will say â€Å"look at how some â€Å"so-called† Christians live and behave. I lead a better life than most of them do†. However, just because a person is a Christian and believes in God doesn’t mean they will do no wrong. I was taught that there is no big sin or little sin, but as long as you repent and ask for forgiveness then you will be saved by the grace of God. I simply just don’t believe that there is a rational argument for atheism, because I have been blessed too many times without a rational explanation for me not to believe in God. I say this because about fifteen years ago I was told by a doctor that I had a mass on my brain that looked like a tumor and that I would need to see a specialist in see if it was cancer. I went home upset and crying, but I pray all night. I went to church that Sunday and asked for prayer, the congregation prayed for me. I went to see the specialist the next week, who stated that there was not mass and that it was just part of my brain and there was no cancer. So I know personally what prayer can do, and nobody can make me feel different. In conclusion, I would like to rein irate how important religion is in my life. I actually enjoyed writing this paper because it made me realize why I truly believe in God. There is no scientist or atheist that can make me stop believing in God. I never realized how much Philosophy deals with God until I took this course. It was interesting to read about the different Philosophers, and how they try to prove that existence and non-existence of God. I hope that after reading this paper you can get a better understanding of my position on religion, and why I am a firm believer in God.

Introduction to the Major Laws of Physics

Introduction to the Major Laws of Physics Over the years, one thing scientists have discovered is that nature is generally more complex than we give it credit for. The laws of physics are considered fundamental, although many of them refer to idealized or theoretical systems that are hard to replicate in the real world. Like other fields of science, new laws of physics build on or modify existing laws and theoretical research. Albert Einsteins  theory of relativity, which he developed in the early 1900s, builds on the theories first developed more than 200 years earlier by Sir Isaac Newton. Law of Universal Gravitation Sir  Isaac Newtons groundbreaking work in physics was first published in 1687 in his book The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, commonly known as The Principia. In it, he outlined theories about gravity and of motion. His physical law of gravity states that an object attracts another object in direct proportion to their combined mass and inversely related to the square of the distance between them. Three Laws of Motion Newtons  three laws of motion, also found in The Principia, govern how the motion of physical objects change. They define the fundamental relationship between the acceleration of an object and the forces acting upon it. First Rule: An object will remain at rest or in a  uniform state of motion unless that state is changed by an external force.  Second Rule:  Force  is  equal to the change in  momentum  (mass times velocity) over time. In other words, the rate of change is directly proportional to the amount of force applied.  Third Rule: For every action in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction.   Together, these three principles that Newton outlined form the basis of classical mechanics, which describes how bodies behave physically under the influence of outside forces. Conservation of Mass and Energy Albert Einstein introduced his famous equation E mc2 in a 1905 journal submission titled, On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies. The paper presented his theory of special relativity, based on two postulates: Principle of Relativity: The laws of physics are the same for all inertial reference frames.  Principle of Constancy of the Speed of Light: Light always propagates through a vacuum at a definite velocity, which is independent of the state of motion of the emitting body. The first principle simply says that the laws of physics apply equally to everyone in all situations. The second principle is the more important one. It stipulates that the  speed of light  in a vacuum is constant. Unlike all other forms of motion, it is not measured differently for observers in different inertial frames of reference. Laws of Thermodynamics The  laws of thermodynamics  are actually specific manifestations of the law of conservation of mass-energy as it relates to thermodynamic processes. The field was first explored in the 1650s by  Otto von Guericke  in Germany and  Robert Boyle  and  Robert Hooke  in Britain. All three scientists used vacuum pumps, which von Guericke pioneered, to study the principles of  pressure,  temperature, and  volume. The  Zeroeth Law of Thermodynamics  makes the notion of  temperature  possible.The  First Law of Thermodynamics  demonstrates the relationship between internal energy, added heat, and work within a system.The  Second Law of Thermodynamics  relates to the natural flow of heat within a  closed system.The  Third Law of Thermodynamics  states that it is impossible to create a  thermodynamic process  that is perfectly efficient. Electrostatic Laws Two laws of physics govern the relationship between electrically charged particles and their ability to create electrostatic force  and electrostatic fields.   Coulombs Law is named for Charles-Augustin Coulomb, a French researcher working in the 1700s. The force between two point charges is directly proportional to the magnitude of each charge and  inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. If the objects have the same charge, positive or negative, they will repel each other. If they have opposite charges, they will attract each other.Gausss Law is named for  Carl Friedrich Gauss, a German mathematician  who worked in the early 19th century. This law states that  the net flow of an electric field through a closed surface is proportional to the enclosed electric charge. Gauss proposed similar laws relating to magnetism and electromagnetism as a whole. Beyond Basic Physics In the realm of relativity and quantum mechanics, scientists have found that these laws still apply, although their interpretation requires some refinement to be applied, resulting in fields such as quantum electronics and quantum gravity.

6 Scientific Tips for Getting a Pay Raise

6 Scientific Tips for Getting a Pay Raise By being familiar with a few scientifically and psychologically based tips, you can ask for that raise with no fear, even at times when raises are not being offered. Look at What Your Position PaysIf you are being underpaid for your job description, it is not unreasonable to ask for a raise in salary. Include education and years of experience to see if you are getting paid within that range. If not, maybe it’s time to ask for a raise.Ask for a Raise In the MorningSkip your breakfast and ask for your raise in the morning. University studies show that an individual is more driven to ask for something if he or she is hungry. According to one psychologist, people are more moral in the mornings. However, wait until your boss has had his morning coffee and has gone through his morning tasks. A psychotherapist in New York suggests that if your boss is accustomed to having a drink at lunch, wait until afterward.What Days to Ask for a RaiseMondays are obviously out. Your boss is facing work that may have piled up over the weekend and has the entire week to get through. You are better off asking for a raise toward the end of the week when he may be looking forward to the weekend.Asking Toward the Weekend May Not Work for EveryoneBusinesses that operate seven days a week or where the boss is busiest in the morning may preclude asking for a raise at this time. In this case, wait until the boss is in a good mood before asking, perhaps after a business deal has been carried through successfully.Statistics Give You the Good NewsAccording to statistics compiled by Payscale, 75 percent of workers who requested a raise received an increase in pay. While 44 percent were given the amount they asked for, another 31 percent received less but were still granted a raise.What to Do if the Boss Says NoSuppose you don’t get the answer you were hoping for during your meeting with your boss. Now is perhaps the time to ask what you can do to improve your work or the reason for the refusal. However, stay polite and do not make demands. Pay attention if your boss makes suggestions and carry them out, so the next time you ask for a raise you might receive a positive response.

Ethical Issues in Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical Issues in Management - Research Paper Example Hence, Brown and Trevino (2004) have tried to debunk common misconceptions about this term. It is important to note that ethical issues are never easy and the notion that it is not meant to be managed is very wrong. Therefore, it is very important to be wary of possible ethical issues that must be given attention to as well as an acceptance that the complexities of these issues require a very intricate process. Also, it is likewise important to be able to look into the strong possibility that the bad people in the organization that are usually the ones to blame may just be symptoms from a systemic problem in the organization. Hence, there must be a deeper examination of this probability and that the underlying problem must be solved so that there will be a lasting solution to these ethical issues. Character and Ethics Furthermore, there must be a stronger effort than the codes and programs in order to be able to take in these challenges and that there must be the realization and acce ptance that despite all talks about accountabilities and chains of command, corporate leaders cannot really take all the blame for their staffs or employees that go astray. Many leaders are formed by their strong character and an overarching appreciation of their calling (Gallos, 1997). Hence, the many people in the organization cannot be always influenced by their leaders as these people are However, despite the recent issues about these scandals, this has been going on since the time that humans basically started commerce. Indeed, Bowen (2002) stresses the need for a coordinated and strongly planned approach to these ethical issues and that these must be integrated within the organization and even in the vision mission of the company. Indeed, the role of the organization must be very prominent in addressing these ethical issues as this can be the strong force that will enable the company to be able to really direct their efforts at ensuring the maintenance of integrity within thei r ranks (Smith, 1990; Hanson, 1991). Areas of Concern Becker (2010) highlights the dilemmas whereby there are four major areas that must be considered. Hence, in dealing with ethical issues, the human resources must be considered since there lies the enablers and the possible causes of ethical problems. Moreover, the confidence of customers must be adequately considered since business confidence can be greatly affected when ethics crises sets in. This brings forward the next area of concern which is the possible sources of conflicts of interest that the company must look into in order to maintain a spotless record with their stakeholders. Finally, the company must watch over their company resources and how these are spent. Indeed, ethical issues can be very challenging and finding solutions to these problems has been greatly hampered by the aforementioned myths. Although these ethical issues go way back, it must be noted that the current trends in business and society has been great ly influential in its proliferation as well as in its recognition. Social networks have considerably grown in prominence at the turn of the century boosted by the rapid greater improvements in the communications capability worldwide. As such, Borgatti and Molina (2003) have pressed the need for an ethical framework that will govern researches made in these social networks. There have been many reports of privacy concerns arising from such