Promoting Gender Equality - 1965 Words

Gender equality is the removal of deep-seated barriers to equality of opportunity and outcome, such as discriminatory laws, customs, practices and institutional processes. It also entails concern with the development of the freedoms of all individuals, irrespective of gender; to choose outcomes they have reason to value. It is integral to ideas of educational quality, as an education system would lack key dimensions of quality if it was discriminatory or did not develop capabilities in children to work for an education that was personally and socially worthwhile. Some aspects of this are the freedom to enter school, to learn and participate there in safety and security, to develop identities that tolerate others, to promote health and to†¦show more content†¦Some groups who feel their cultures under attack from processes of globalization or other hostile forces refuse to contemplate the education of girls because it appears to undermine valued cultural practices. But there a re many different opinions in communities that uphold traditions and all views need to be taken account, not just those of recognised leader or head of household. Because issues concerning gender and sexuality involve families’ hopes and fears for daughters and sons it is important not to ignore cultural, economic and political opposition to gender equality in school and to consider how the race and class inequalities that sometimes nurture this opposition can be addressed as part of a broad and integrated approach to developing gender equitable pedagogies and societies. Where traditional leaders and elders have been consulted, for example in Liberia, there has been considerable success in changing attitudes for formal schooling for girls, especially through forging links with traditional teachers who initiate young girls at puberty (Oxfam 2002). 3.) Governments and non-State providers should: National Level; †¢ Put in place strong legal measures to outlaw sexual violence and harassment in school, make procedures for dealing with this through a code of conduct clear. Communicate this to all concerned. †¢ Develop a focus on gender equality and pedagogy as part ofShow MoreRelatedPromoting Gender Equality And Empowering Women1890 Words   |  8 Pagesgoals were created with targets to reach by the year 2015. All goals are important and necessary to create sustainable living for all, but one goal is most important to be addressed because without it, the other goals’ development suffers. promoting gender equality and empowering women is an urgent matter, especially in a region such as North Africa and Southwest Asia. Female Seclusion in the Gulf States limits them to only living a life in private spaces and while less conservative countries such asRead MoreEmpowering Women And Promoting Gender Equality2911 Words   |  12 Pages Empowering Women and Promoting Gender Equality in Egypt Angela Shams Proff. Rue Ziegler Dear Mr. Gates, I write with great admiration and appreciation of your remarkable philanthropic efforts on behalf of health, poverty and education. Changing the world is a spectacular goal. Congratulations on your plans to dedicate more of your time to charity. I’m writing to you today for your help in funding my proposal to open a school for girl in Cairo. My father has recently passed andRead MorePromoting Gender Equality and Empowering Women969 Words   |  4 Pagesoppressed. They weren’t seen as equals, simply because of their gender, not because of experience or knowledge, just because they are women. If it took me that long to find out how sexist, a developed country is how long will it take everyone. It is common knowledge, that life is better, but it is not common knowledge that the discrimination is the same. That was when I had my doubts, will there be any foundations that promote gender equality and empower Canadian women, since Canada is a very privilegedRead MoreThe Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women1662 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Koss ENG 121 December 4, 2014 Gender Equality The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (or CEDAW for short) is, in general, regarded as a â€Å"bill of rights† for women. â€Å"The United Nations has encouraged states to recognize women s rights, most importantly through the CEDAW, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1979† (Inglehart and Pippa 7). It aims at creating a number of acts that will ensure gender equality and protect women from all forms ofRead MoreIntroduction:. The Direct Journey Towards The Convention1552 Words   |  7 Pageswomen’s human rights, the focus will be on a few countries that have made significant progress economic and social rights of women, as well as a few that requires stronger laws and practices in order to ensure gender equality, both de jure and de facto. The rights associated with gender equality encompass various issues but some of the African countries managed to address them through legislative change, civil advocacy, cooperation and partnership with development organizations. The special measuresRead MoreEssay On Gender Inequality1137 Words   |  5 PagesHave you ever thought about equality around the world? I would like to say that everyone is completely equal but sadly that is not true. In the past several years you have probably heard a lot about gender inequality. In 2014 statistics have shown that women make around 79 cents to a man’s dollar. Through a rhetorical analysis of Audi’s 2017 Super Bowl commercial ‘Daughter’ they inform their buyers of the gender inequality around the world and to inform them that they are a fair and equal companyRead MoreGender Equality in Malaysia1513 Words   |  7 Pagesable to contribute to national development and prosperity. In the earlier years, the issue of gender inequality is one which has been publicly reverberating through society for decades. The different religions and cultures of Malaysia have many positive aspects in womens lives. However, it is also the case that women are discriminated against by their religions and cultures, which perpetuate stereotyped gender roles and protectionist and patriarchal attitudes towards women. First at all, the â€Å"family†Read MoreGender Inequality in Italy and Sweden Essay3321 Words   |  14 PagesRoots of Gender Inequality: What Accounts For the Differing Gender Inequalities in Sweden and Italy? On September 20th of this year, Emma Watson gave a powerful speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York to address the gender inequalities endured by women worldwide. Although most nations have possessed an increasing focus on gender equality in the past century, gender stereotypes and sexist customs continue to pervade the modern world. Despite initiatives taken to combat gender inequalityRead MoreJudith Sargent Murray Essay1719 Words   |  7 Pageswriters of female equality, education, and economic independence, strongly advocated equal opportunities for women. She wrote many essays in order to empower young women in the new republic to stand up against society and make it apparent that women are equals. Three notable essays written by Murray about equality are: her earliest essay being Desultory Thoughts Upon the Utility of Encouraging a Degree of Self- Complacency, Especially in Female Bosoms (1784), On the Equality of the Sexes writtenRead MoreCluster 1: Article 7 (Women In Political And Public Life).1386 Words   |  6 Pagesthe platforms of the candidates identified with promoting taking actions against racism and gender discrimination. †¢ In June 2007, CNDM (the National Council of Women s Rights) and the female caucus of the National Congress supported by SPM/PR, went before the National Congress to present a public manifestation in order to bring awareness to the consistent absence of women in the spaces of power, while also encouraging a political reform from a gender perspective.   †¢ The SPM/PR and the CNDM held

The Civil Rights Of African Americans - 2645 Words

The term civil rights is very broad when it is to be defined. It has many different aspects as in to what it can mean, from integration all the way to voting rights of African Americans. My main point is to focus on the Selma Marches from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Alabama, but also to dig deeper into it to find the significance of a certain day, the day was called â€Å"Bloody Sunday.† I want to find out the historical situation behind the marchers who were beat and killed on that day and also look at John Lewis, and the key part that he played into the events that happened on that day and to also look at the reasoning behind the whole march. Racism is defined in many different variations and means different things to certain people;†¦show more content†¦On March 7, 1965, a very famous five day, 54 long mile march of about 600 peaceful protestors took place from Selma, Alabama to the state capital Montgomery, Alabama. This was a very peaceful march that was cause d by the Voting Rights Movement for African Americans in Selma. In Selma, African Americans made up more than half the population, but only a mere two percent were actual registered voters. Discrimination and intimidation tactics aimed at African American kept them from registering and voting. The demonstrators marched to demand fairness in voter registration. With over half the population of Selma being African American there is no reason or excuse besides ignorance for why only two percent had the right to vote. To give sort of a background to leading up to the march, in 1963 a group of community activists formed the Dallas County Improvement Association Dallas County being the actual county that Selma is in. With the goal of having White and Colored signs removed from public buildings, an investigation of police brutality against Africans Americans, and increased access to jobs and voter registration. Local officials ignored the Association s concerns. At the invitation of the Improvement Association, Dr. Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference also known as the (SCLC) chose Selma as a focus for civil rights demonstrations in 1964. The mayor of

Healthy lifestyle free essay sample

With the stresses of school such as, tests, time management, and deadlines, a healthy lifestyle is vital to a student. It is not easy to get a perfect score on a test, or even an A for that matter, depending on level of difficulty, and it is not easy to take on the burden of responsibility that rests on a student such as a job might interfere with a school deadline. Not only is the academic part of school stressful, but the social aspect is as well. Image is everything to a high school or middle school student and competing with academics, the social life sometimes takes precedence in a student’s life. However, there needs to be a balance in those areas. A healthy lifestyle in school is important because your habits can affect one’s school grades, attitude, and self-esteem. One unhealthy habit is not eating a nutritional breakfast. We will write a custom essay sample on Healthy lifestyle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Without the help of protein, slow carbohydrates, and fast carbohydrates, the brain is more likely to work at a slower pace rather than working at its maximum potential. This can affect a student’s memory located in the temporal lobe in the cerebrum section of the brain. Without the memory working to its full potential, a student cannot perform his/her best on an early test or quiz or even a regular homework assignment. It is always best in the mornings to eat a nutritious breakfast to alert the brain so that it performs at its highest level. Another unhealthy habit that is prevalent is lack of sleep. Students have convinced themselves they can perform under as little as 0-5 hours of sleep. While, yes, anyone can function with that little of sleep, your brain and body are not rested and recharged to perform at its fullest. This habit can create laziness in a student and cause him/her to not pay attention in class, fall asleep in class, and/or not do homework because of the direct correlation of no motivation. It is important that a student gets no less than six hours of sleep so that he/she can apply 100% in all he/she does in school and throughout the day. Most people have experienced the lack of patience one might have without food in the body. This relates back to eating a nutritional breakfast. Not only will the habit of not eating a healthy breakfast, or even eating breakfast at all, it will also influence a student’s attitude. If a student intakes a breakfast such as waffles with maple syrup, this is mostly bread and sugar. This can cause a sugar drop if the person continues to eat sugar throughout the day, and completely cancels out the breakfast that was intended to feed the brain. When a sugar drop occurs, the person is emotionally brought to a high peak where, depending on the person, they are extremely happy, then when the unexpected sugar drop happens, emotionally a person is brought down to their lowest point, and sadness can occur, or crying randomly. This is not good for a student in college who needs to perform their best with studies. Self esteem is how a person views his/her value, whether that is outward appearance, work ethic, or value compared to someone else. A person’s self-esteem is their choice, however, it can be heavily influenced by outside sources such as media and unhealthy eating habits. If a student sits around all day, every day playing video games and eating Lays Potato Chips, with no exercise, it is only fair to conclude they are going to be overweight. The body cannot handle that for a long period of time without having any effects. After this happens, the student will be unhappy about what he/she looks like and the self-esteem lowers, creating a feeling of no value, which then bleeds into every aspect of his/her life, work, school, and social life. With a balance, using video games sparingly and eating junk food sparingly, there is little chance a person will suffer from low self- esteem. Eating right such as fruits and vegetables and proteins, can make a person feel good about themselves and succeed in school and in life. Another issue that seeps into the self-esteem is the lack of exercise many students have. Exercise keeps the body in good health and the mind sharp. Though exercise is not a direct correlation with self-esteem, the effects of exercise is directly linked with self-esteem. Eating healthy and exercising work together to make the student feel good about himself/herself and boosts the self-esteem so that there are no doubts sitting in the classroom next to the girl who wears size zero, or the guy that has huge biceps, there is a self-esteem built in the student to be sure of themselves and succeed in school. With everything a student has to deal with, test grades, grades in general, and social life, it is only common sense to get all the help available. With healthy eating habits, and exercising working together, a student cannot lose in the academic and social world. A healthy lifestyle should be everyone’s goal because it will not let a person down, it only benefits them. As a student, with everyday pressures socially and academically, a healthy lifestyle will never disappoint. Healthy Lifestyle free essay sample What a person eats is a key part of managing and combating health diseases. Obesity is bad news for both body and mind. Not only can it make a person feel tired and uncomfortable it causes major health risks. Eating a well balanced diet will help keep the weight down. The best way to lose weight is to change the way we think about food, exercise and our way of life. If not presently on a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start a plan. However, healthy eating is important for maintaining bodily function and living a disease free lifestyle. Struggling with healthy eating, know that breaking the unhealthy habits can be a difficult part of the process. However, wanting to live the best lifestyle is possible, it is important to follow steps in order to start eating a more healthy diet. A good beginning step is rid the home of all foods that do not fit into the healthy categories. We will write a custom essay sample on Healthy Lifestyle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Remember the food pyramid† (Home and Garden, 2005,). Keep junk foods and beverages out of the house, so that there will be no temptations to snack during the day. Get a journal and write everything down before or after eating. It is amazing what people do not eat if they have to keep a record. In the journal start at the beginning by entering your weight, size and the day you start. If worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like fresh cut vegetables, fruit, yogurt or whole wheat crackers on hand. Can’t stand to toss out the sweets, try keeping something on hand like chocolate chips. Eating a few of these won’t hinder the lifestyle change; cutting down its will give a little sugary fix that we all crave. An additional step to healthy eating is when first starting the practice is to take a few moments to become skilled at what foods are the healthiest, and how they work in the body. Most people realize that fruit, vegetables and low fat means healthy and that dairy products are good, but few know why. The key is knowledge, the learning about nutrients and the right ones the body needs to get and stay healthy. When the specific nutrients are understood and the way they work in the body, the change in lifestyle will be more likely to make these healthy choices. When preparing for a new healthy diet, the individual should take into consideration to schedule a time for meals. If the person repeatedly in a hurried or at odd times of day, then the probability they are not getting the best foods possible. Plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a premade or sack lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh vegetables. Plan ahead for healthy meals, breakfast and dinner; as well by cooking ahead. If time is not available to fix healthy dinners, start with baby steps. Even if substituting one soda a day with a glass of water, is improving the calorie intake. If the individual eats fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that even half the time. When starting by taking small steps it does not seem like the cutting out of foods that are loved and the individual can take the time to learn about healthy foods. Obesity tends to run in families. Some people have a genetic tendency to gain weight more easily than others because they burn calories more slowly. During times when food was scarce, this was a real advantaged. But now that food is available 24/7 in most industrialized countries, an efficient metabolism that once ensured or survival now works to our disadvantage. Although genes influence body types and size, environment also plays a major role. People today may be gaining weight because of unhealthy food choices (like fast food) and family habits (like eating in front of the television instead of at the family dining table). High calorie, low nutrient snack and beverages, bigger portions, and less active lifestyles are all contributing to the obesity epidemic. With obesity come many health concerns such as, † Gallstones. An accumulation of bile that hardens in the gallbladder forms gallstones. These may be painful and require surgery. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Blounts disease. Excess weight on growing bones can lead to this bone deformity of the lower legs† (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"High blood pressure. When blood pressure is high, the heart must pump harder and the arteries must carry blood thats moving under greater pressure. If the problem continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may no longer work as well as they should. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is more common in overweight or obese teens. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"High cholesterol. Long before getting sick, obese teens may have abnormal blood lipid levels, including high cholesterol, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. These increase the risk of heart attack and stroke when a person gets older. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Fatty liver. When fat accumulates in the liver, it can cause inflammation, scarring, and permanent liver damage. (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Girls who are overweight may miss periods — or not get their periods at all — and may have elevated testosterone (the male hormone) levels in the blood. Although it is normal for girls to have some testosterone in their blood, too much can interfere with normal ovulation and may cause excess hair growth, worsening acne, and male-type baldness. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance, a precursor to developing type 2 diabetes. Women who are overweight also might have fertility problems† (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Insulin resistance and diabetes. When there is excess body fat, insulin is less effective at getting glucose, the bodys main source of energy, into cells. More insulin becomes needed to maintain a normal blood sugar. For some overweight teens, insulin resistance may progress to diabetes (high blood sugar)† (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Depression. People who are obese are more likely to be depressed and have lower self-esteem. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Slipped capital femoral epiphyses (SCFE). Obese children and teens are at greater risk for this painful hip problem. SCFE requires immediate attention and surgery to prevent further damage to the joint. (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"Sleep apnea. This condition (where a person temporarily stops breathing during sleep) is a serious problem for many overweight kids and adults. Not only does it interrupt sleep, sleep apnea can leave people feeling tired and affect their ability to concentrate and learn. It also may lead to heart problems. † (Mary L. G avin, 2007) â€Å"Asthma. Obesity is associated with breathing problems that can make it harder to keep up with friends, play sports, or just walk from class to class. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) â€Å"olycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Girls who are overweight may miss periods — or not get their periods at all — and may have elevated testosterone (the male hormone) levels in the blood. Although it is normal for girls to have some testosterone in their blood, too much can interfere with normal ovulationovulation and may cause excess hair growth, worsening acne, and male-type baldness. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance, a precursor to developing type 2 diabetes. Women who are overweight also might have fertility problems. † (Mary L. Gavin, 2007) . Most illnesses and diseases can be controlled or even eliminated by changing one’s own eating and exercise inhabits. Luckily, it is never too late to start making those changes that can effectively control weight and the health problems it causes. Those changes don’t have to be big. For a start, plan to cut back on sugary beverages, pass up the second serving, and get more exercise, even 5 – 10 minutes a day. Walk to the corner store, climb the stairs instead of taking the elevator and even park in the last row of the grocery store parking lot, small steps. Build your way up to big changes by making a series of small ones. Sometimes people turn to food for emotional reasons, such as when they feel upset, anxious, sad, stressed out, or even bored. When this happens, they often eat more than they need. When this is an issue, try to take a walk, read, or have a glass of water instead of opening the refrigerator. These steps are possible and necessary if the individual wants to achieve a healthier weight and increase their health. The individual needs to consult their physician before starting any diets and exercise program. With their physician advice, the individual will know which diet they may consider. With the benefit of Gyms, an individual can receive a personal exercise trainer to help achieve their weight and health goals. Please note; when starting a program to change your lifestyle, losing the weight and improving your health will not happen overnight. It did not happen so. With hard work, patients and determination it will happen. You will feel the difference in the way you look, feel and your energy levels within a few days. Within a few months, you will see a dramatic decrease in weight and inches.

Sula Essays - Sula, Booby, , Term Papers, Research Papers

Sula Sula "Sula" by Tony Morrison is the story of a friendship between Nel Wright and Sula Peace, who are opposites in the way of relating to other people, to the world around them, and to themselves. Nel is rational and balanced; she gets married and gives in to conformity and the town's expectations. Sula is an irrational and transient character. She follows her immediate passions, completely unaware of the feelings other people might have. However, Nel and Sula are able to function well only when they are together because they complete each other as opposites. However, as separate entities, Sula and Nel are vulnerable and isolated from the rest of world; Sula because she is impulsive and disregards the feelings of other people, and Nel because she overlooks her own. The personalities of Nel and Sula form as a result of their childhood family atmosphere. Sula's unusual exorbitance results from an eccentric upbringing that openly accepts and welcomes transience. The narrator describes Sula's house as a "throbbing disorder constantly awry with things, people, voices and the slamming of doors . . ." (52), which suggests a family accustomed to spontaneous disruptions and fleeting alliances. Sula decides that "sex is pleasant and frequent, but otherwise insignificant." (44) Sula grows up in the atmosphere of an emotional separation between mothers and daughters in her family. The mothers provide only the physical maternal support but lack in the emotional attachment to their children. Sula overhears her mother, Hannah, say, "I love her [Sula]. I just don't like her, that's the thing." (57) Hannah's words act as a determiner of Sula's defiance. Hannah and Eva, her mother, are also alienated. "Under Eva's distant eye, and prey to her idiosyncrasies, her own children grew up steadily." (41) This dissatisfaction causes Hannah to ask Eva, "Did you ever love us?" (67) "I know you fed us and all. I was talking 'bout something else. Did you ever, you know play with us?" (68) Eva leaps out of the window to "cover her daughter's body with her own" (75) to save her from a fire; she raises her children single-handedly and even sacrifices her leg to get an insurance because she does not have enough money to feed her children. Proud of keeping her children alive through the roughest times, Eva does not realize that she needs to be more than a physical caretaker. An unrestricted household such as the Peace family, with little emotional attachment and moral responsibilities, causes Sula to become impetuous and independent. Nel's household, however, is very conformist and proper, but also lacks in emotional attachments. Nel's parents marry out of convenience, rather than love. For Nel's mother, the absences of her husband, a sailor were "quite bearable." Nel is raised in an atmosphere of "oppressive neatness" (29), a strict and organized household that instills society's rules in her. Nel's mother constantly attempts to destroy Nel's spirit and imagination. "Under Helene's [Nel's mother's] hand the girl became obedient and polite. Any enthusiasms that little Nel showed were calmed by the mother until she drove her daughter's imagination underground." (18) "Don't just sit there, honey, you could be pulling your nose" (28) This emotional vacuum compels the girls to seek their missing components in each other's company. During their friendship, Sula and Nel do not have the feeling of detachment they acquire after their parting. In their friendship as girls, they "had clung to [each other] as the closest thing to both an other and a self" (119). They have an interest and curiosity in life and they are absorbed by everything they do. Together they can relate to other people better when they are together. "Humor returned. Nel's love for Jude, which over the years had spun a steady gray web around her heart, became a bright and easy affection." (95) When they are together, their characters balance out to make a complete, fulfilled, and self-contained person, a duet (97). To Nel, Sula's return to Medallion is like "getting the use of an eye back, getting a cataract removed" (95). Sula's thoughtlessness, irrationality, and transience are rounded out by Nel's sobriety, solicitude, and commitment to people and things. "[Sula and Nel] found relief in each other's personality. Nel seemed stronger and more consistent than Sula, who could hardly be counted on sustaining any emotion for more than three minutes." (53) Their friendship was based on sharing, not dividing, as they "shared the affection of other people". However, when Sula leaves Medallion and Nel gets married, their separation causes each to become vulnerable and lonely. Sula is alienated from other people, and does not

Free Essays on American By Heart

Within Willa Cather’s novel, Death Comes For the Archbishop, the definition of what it means to be an American is portrayed through the main character, Father Jean Latour. Though an Irishman by birth, and a Frenchman by ancestry, he soon becomes an American by heart, as he spends his time in western America on missionaries. His hardworking attitude, respect for other cultures, and respect for the land on which he lives, brings out the American side of him. Throughout the novel, the extent to which Father Latour works to bring health and harmony to the extending cities of New Mexico is beyond most men’s capability. He spends days and nights on horseback, traveling from one town to the other, just to help a certain individual. â€Å"†¦[H]e had †¦to be abroad for weeks together on short rations, sleeping in the open, unable to keep his body clean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Cather 275). He not only goes to extremes to help individuals, but also for what he faithfully believes in. He and Father Vaillant, in order to build their cathedral in the wilderness, face corrupt Spanish priests, the cultural and ethic differences between the Hopi and Navajo, and worst of all, Mother Nature. These adventures are a test of his capabilities and of his qualities as an American. America, unlike any other country, is a blending of all cultures and ethnicities into one giant â€Å"melting pot.† In order to be a true American, with morals and values, one has to feel and show respect for other cultures and realize that their own is not superior. Father Latour not only accepts the Native American way of life, but works hard to improve upon it. His compassion for their culture and their hardships is proven many times over. One of the Cardinals, responding to his letter, writes, â€Å"I suppose it is no worse than a life among the Hurons. My knowledge of your country is chiefly drawn from the romances of Fenimore Cooper, which I read in English with great please† (... Free Essays on American By Heart Free Essays on American By Heart Within Willa Cather’s novel, Death Comes For the Archbishop, the definition of what it means to be an American is portrayed through the main character, Father Jean Latour. Though an Irishman by birth, and a Frenchman by ancestry, he soon becomes an American by heart, as he spends his time in western America on missionaries. His hardworking attitude, respect for other cultures, and respect for the land on which he lives, brings out the American side of him. Throughout the novel, the extent to which Father Latour works to bring health and harmony to the extending cities of New Mexico is beyond most men’s capability. He spends days and nights on horseback, traveling from one town to the other, just to help a certain individual. â€Å"†¦[H]e had †¦to be abroad for weeks together on short rations, sleeping in the open, unable to keep his body clean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Cather 275). He not only goes to extremes to help individuals, but also for what he faithfully believes in. He and Father Vaillant, in order to build their cathedral in the wilderness, face corrupt Spanish priests, the cultural and ethic differences between the Hopi and Navajo, and worst of all, Mother Nature. These adventures are a test of his capabilities and of his qualities as an American. America, unlike any other country, is a blending of all cultures and ethnicities into one giant â€Å"melting pot.† In order to be a true American, with morals and values, one has to feel and show respect for other cultures and realize that their own is not superior. Father Latour not only accepts the Native American way of life, but works hard to improve upon it. His compassion for their culture and their hardships is proven many times over. One of the Cardinals, responding to his letter, writes, â€Å"I suppose it is no worse than a life among the Hurons. My knowledge of your country is chiefly drawn from the romances of Fenimore Cooper, which I read in English with great please† (...

Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants

Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Descendants Three or four of the children of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are known to have had the hemophilia gene.  A son, four grandsons, and six or seven great-grandsons and possibly a great-granddaughter were afflicted with hemophilia. Two or three daughters and four granddaughters were carriers who passed the gene to the next generation, without themselves being afflicted with the disorder. How Inheriting Hemophilia Work Hemophilia  is a chromosome disorder which is located on the sex-linked X chromosome.  The trait is recessive, which means that women, with two X chromosomes, must inherit it from both mother and father for the disorder to appear.  Men, however, have only one X chromosome, inherited from the mother, and the Y chromosome all men inherit from the father does not protect the male child from manifesting the disorder. If a mother is a carrier of the gene (one of her two X chromosomes has the abnormality) and the father is not, as seems to have been the case with Victoria and Albert, their sons have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene and being active hemophiliacs, and their daughters have a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene and being a carrier, also passing it along to half of their children. The gene can also appear spontaneously as a mutation on an X chromosome, without the gene being present in the X chromosomes of either father or mother. Where Did the Hemophilia Gene Come From? Queen Victoria’s mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent, did not pass a hemophilia gene to her older son from her first marriage, nor did her daughter from that marriage seem to have the gene to pass down to her offspring - the daughter, Feodora, had three sons and three daughters.  Queen Victoria’s father, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, did not show signs of hemophilia.  There is a small possibility that the Duchess had a lover who had survived to adulthood though afflicted with hemophilia, it would have been highly unlikely that a man with hemophilia would have survived to adulthood at that time in history.  Prince Albert showed no signs of the disease, so he’s unlikely to have been the source of the gene, and not all the daughters of Albert and Victoria seem to have inherited the gene, which would have been true if Albert had the gene. The assumption from the evidence is that the disorder was a spontaneous mutation either in her mother at the time of the queen’s conception, or, more likely, in Queen Victoria. Which of Queen Victoria’s Children Had the Hemophilia Gene? Of Victoria’s four sons, only the youngest inherited hemophilia.  Of Victoria’s five daughters, two definitely were carriers, one was not, one had no children so it is not known whether she had the gene, and one may or may not have been a carrier. Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress and Queen of Prussia: her sons showed no signs of being afflicted, and none of her daughters’ descendants were, either, so she apparently did not inherit the gene.Edward VII: he was not a hemophiliac, so he did not inherit the gene from his mother.Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse: she definitely carried the gene and passed it to three of her children.  Her fourth child and only son, Friedrich, was afflicted and died before he was three.  Of her four daughters who lived to adulthood, Elizabeth died childless, Victoria (maternal grandmother of Prince Philip) was apparently not a carrier, and Irene and Alix had sons who were hemophiliacs.  Alix, known later as Empress Alexandra of Russia, passed the gene to her son, the Tsarevitch Alexei, and his affliction influenced the course of Russian history.Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha: he was not a hemophiliac, so he did not inherit the gene from his mother.Princess Helena: she had two sons who died in infancy, which might be attributed to hemophilia, but that is not certain. Her other two sons showed no signs, and her two daughters did not have children. Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll: she had no children, so there is no way to know if she had inherited the gene.Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught: he was not a hemophiliac, so he did not inherit the gene from his mother.Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany: he was a hemophiliac who died after two years of marriage when bleeding could not be stopped after he fell. His daughter Princess Alice was a carrier, passing the gene to her eldest son who died when he bled to death after an automobile accident.  Alice’s younger son died in infancy so may or may not have been afflicted, and her daughter seems to have escaped the gene, as none of her descendants have been afflicted.  Leopold’s son, of course, did not have the disease, as sons do not inherit a father’s X chromosome.Princess Beatrice: like her sister Alice, she definitely carried the gene.  Two or three of her four children had the gene.  Her son Leopold bled to death during a knee operation at 32. Her son Ma urice was killed in action in World War I, and it’s disputed whether hemophilia was the cause. Beatrice’s daughter, Victoria Eugenia, married King Alfonso XIII of Spain, and their two sons both bled to death after car accidents, one at 31, one at 19.  Victoria Eugenia and Alfonso’s daughters have no descendants who’ve shown signs of the condition.

Statistics Mini-project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Statistics Mini-project - Essay Example And the equation is as below. In work fields, it is the order of the day that you can work with a person and end up being paid very little as compared to what he/she is getting at the end of the pay period (Mailu, S 2000). This is caused by many factors but majority tend to thing that, the level of education, sex, work experience, his/her race, the occupation one is in, the sector, the marital status, where one lives and whether one is a member of the union, has a lot to do with the remuneration package one gets. In view of this, the above project was carried out to determine whether this is true and if not what really matters in such situations. Data was collected and analyzed according to Jacob, C (1998). The way a certain group is represented in the sample determines a lot how that groups will behave and also how their findings will be generalized (Agnes, W 2002). In this case regression analysis is used to determine if the coefficients used are significant or not. According to Smith (2000), regression tells more of how a certain factor contributes towards the other. From tables 1-5 above, the whites earn a bit high than the other races although the difference in wage is not significant. The same applies to the gender; males are a bit high in wage than the females with a difference of 2.11 which is statistically different. Union members earn better than their counterparts who are not union members and have a significant difference of 2.16. In the different job categories, those working in management earn better followed by those that are professionals although the difference is not statistically significant. However, management and professional earn differently from the others categories and the various mean differences are statistically different at 95% confidence level. Clerical jobs are the poorly paid. Experience contributes much as well as the level of education one has attained. Furthers, those that have spend many years in

The Church's View on Contraception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Church's View on Contraception - Essay Example Based on the Scriptures, particularly in the Book of Genesis 38:8-10, the act of Onan spilling his seed – which is an equivalent of coitus interruptus – was condemned by God and the Jewish law. Based on the ancient Jewish law of fathering children, it was a duty of the brother to perform to his sister-in-law the role of husband if his brother dies. However, Onan changed his mind about fathering a child which was supposed to be his brother’s and thus â€Å"spilled the semen on the ground†¦And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also† (Brom; Gen. 38:9-10). In Deuteronomy 25:7-10, it is stated that the man who does not give children to his sister-in-law in case his brother dies would naturally get punished with public humiliation. However, since God slew Onan, then the spilling of one’s semen – or more loosely, the concept of contraception – is obviously a more serious moral offense that simply not g iving one’s brother’s widow a child. Other books of the Bible also condemn contraception. In the New Testament, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans states, â€Å"God has given them over to shameful passions. ... These writings were after all based on the principles of the Bible and the natural law. Onanism, or the act of Onan spilling his semen, was echoed by several church fathers during the early years of the Church. One of the most prominent Church Fathers who condemned contraception in this way was Clement of Alexandria, who, in 195 AD, wrote in The Instructor of Children 2:10:91:2, â€Å"Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted† (Brom). Although the aforementioned statement of Clement of Alexandria somehow includes even acts like masturbation, it is still clear that the Church condemns contraception in whatever form that it can be carried out. The Protestant Reformer Martin Luther also expressed condemnation against onanism and referred to it as â€Å"the exceedingly foul deed of Onan† and that Onan â€Å"deserved to be killed by God† (Brom). Luther, therefo re, emphasizes, through Onan’s example, that the sinner deserves God’s punishment. John Calvin of the Calvinist Church echoed Luther’s condemnation by saying that the intentional spilling of semen is â€Å"a monstrous thing† (Brom). Moreover, John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, stated that onanism was â€Å"very displeasing to God† and was tantamount to the destruction of the soul (Brom). Contraceptives and methods to tighten the reproductive system have also long been condemned by the ancient Christian Church. Another Church Father in the name of Hippolytus of Rome indicated in his Refutation of All Heresies 9:12, in 255 AD, that â€Å"the so-called faithful [should not] use drugs of sterility or bid themselves tightly in order to expel a fetus which

Patterns and trends in health and illness Essay Example for Free

Patterns and trends in health and illness Essay Women are more likely to become ill than men for many reasons. Men are likely to have strong immune systems than women as they tend to put themselves first, whereas a woman has different priorities. Another reason why women may become ill opposed to men is the fact that a lot more women have to work the double day than men. The double day consist of the individual going out to work on a day to day basis and then returning home to start chores. These chores can be anything from looking after the children to cleaning the house. A person who works the double day are more likely to become ill as they are more likely to become stressed or exhausted, both of which can lead to the individual becoming ill at a later stage. Men are seen to have more physical or dangerous jobs than women, which should mean they become ill on a more regular basis. However this is not the case because a lot of men return home from work and then relax, whereas the women go to work and then come home to situations such as sorting the children making sure all the washing and things are complete. This is not always the case as it could be the male that has to work the double day but it is usually the women. On the other hand women take better care of themselves, which is shown by the fact that women seem to live longer. Elderly and Youth Elderly people are more likely to become ill than a young person as things such as their immune system are no longer as strong. This means that it takes and elderly person longer to recover from an injury or illness than someone who is a lot younger than them. If an elderly person’s immune system is weaker it means that they are likely to catch the illnesses quicker and they could catch more than one illness a time. The youth of today are also a lot less likely to break a bone than the elderly, as the elderly’s bones are a lot weaker than those of a youth. If a youth is ill they usually recover by themselves and only occasionally rely on the help of medication, usually when the illness is strong or aggressive. Whereas an elderly person can take weeks to recover and often rely on medication for support. Rich and Poor Poor people are more likely to become ill than richer people as their life style is not to the same standard. The poor are more likely to live in cold conditions and have a poor diet whereas the rich are more likely to have good healthy diets and live in homes with central heating and that are clean. Rich people are also at an advantage when it comes to being ill as they can afford treatment and medication. This means that they are likely to recover quicker and don’t have to worry about still being able to pay for other necessities such as food and water. The poor however have other priorities to spend their money on such as providing a shelter for their children, food and clothes. This means that medication is one of the things that is given less thought. They would rather the child be fed than them paying for medication for themselves. On the other hand poor people are likely to smoke and drink than those who have more money

Cloning :: essays research papers

Recently, we have all seen the controversy over whether or not we should attempt to clone. If you haven't heard: A group of scientists in Scotland announced the birth of a sheep cloned from embryonic cells, presaging Dolly. Dolly's was the birth heard round the world. The first mammal ever cloned from a single adult cell, she was living proof that scientists had solved one of the most challenging problems of cell biology. Her creation raised a troubling question: Can humans, too, be cloned? And if so, Should humans be able to play God? Cloning has been an idea that the world has awaited and feared for decades. Cloning has been around since the 1950s when 2 scientists made a frog from tadpole cells. In the 60s, scientists cloned frogs again, but this time using cells from older tadpoles. What has just happened recently is the cloning of a mammal. The sheep named Dolly. A MAMMAL born from a single adult cell. The question is: Is cloning good or evil? Some say this is one of the most remarkable breakthroughs of science history. Man Creates Life. Amazing. But, let's rethink this.. Is the ability for man to create life (in a sense play god), is this a good thing or a bad thing? Why would it be a bad thing? This is an incredible breakthrough of scientific history. This area of microbiology needs to be further explored. There are several advantages that cloning may serve. A child needs a bone marrow transplant within the next two years. You could clone a copy and retrieve the bone marrow. Cloning would give lesbians a way to bear a biological descendant without visiting the spermbank. Perhaps the army could breed stronger, braver soldiers to use just for battle. Let's look at the advantages to cloning mammals: A farmer could clone his prize cow over and over making several copies of it, producing better milk with more nutrients. A shepard could clone the sheep with the best wool and he wouldn't need as many sheep. We could clone endangered species, making them no longer endangered. The list of benefits are endless. I realize that cloning is immoral to many people. The power of a creationism has become ours, in a sense. Many are skeptical of this science but the future will reveal that it is going to become more and more researched. Cloning :: essays research papers Recently, we have all seen the controversy over whether or not we should attempt to clone. If you haven't heard: A group of scientists in Scotland announced the birth of a sheep cloned from embryonic cells, presaging Dolly. Dolly's was the birth heard round the world. The first mammal ever cloned from a single adult cell, she was living proof that scientists had solved one of the most challenging problems of cell biology. Her creation raised a troubling question: Can humans, too, be cloned? And if so, Should humans be able to play God? Cloning has been an idea that the world has awaited and feared for decades. Cloning has been around since the 1950s when 2 scientists made a frog from tadpole cells. In the 60s, scientists cloned frogs again, but this time using cells from older tadpoles. What has just happened recently is the cloning of a mammal. The sheep named Dolly. A MAMMAL born from a single adult cell. The question is: Is cloning good or evil? Some say this is one of the most remarkable breakthroughs of science history. Man Creates Life. Amazing. But, let's rethink this.. Is the ability for man to create life (in a sense play god), is this a good thing or a bad thing? Why would it be a bad thing? This is an incredible breakthrough of scientific history. This area of microbiology needs to be further explored. There are several advantages that cloning may serve. A child needs a bone marrow transplant within the next two years. You could clone a copy and retrieve the bone marrow. Cloning would give lesbians a way to bear a biological descendant without visiting the spermbank. Perhaps the army could breed stronger, braver soldiers to use just for battle. Let's look at the advantages to cloning mammals: A farmer could clone his prize cow over and over making several copies of it, producing better milk with more nutrients. A shepard could clone the sheep with the best wool and he wouldn't need as many sheep. We could clone endangered species, making them no longer endangered. The list of benefits are endless. I realize that cloning is immoral to many people. The power of a creationism has become ours, in a sense. Many are skeptical of this science but the future will reveal that it is going to become more and more researched. Cloning :: essays research papers Recently, we have all seen the controversy over whether or not we should attempt to clone. If you haven't heard: A group of scientists in Scotland announced the birth of a sheep cloned from embryonic cells, presaging Dolly. Dolly's was the birth heard round the world. The first mammal ever cloned from a single adult cell, she was living proof that scientists had solved one of the most challenging problems of cell biology. Her creation raised a troubling question: Can humans, too, be cloned? And if so, Should humans be able to play God? Cloning has been an idea that the world has awaited and feared for decades. Cloning has been around since the 1950s when 2 scientists made a frog from tadpole cells. In the 60s, scientists cloned frogs again, but this time using cells from older tadpoles. What has just happened recently is the cloning of a mammal. The sheep named Dolly. A MAMMAL born from a single adult cell. The question is: Is cloning good or evil? Some say this is one of the most remarkable breakthroughs of science history. Man Creates Life. Amazing. But, let's rethink this.. Is the ability for man to create life (in a sense play god), is this a good thing or a bad thing? Why would it be a bad thing? This is an incredible breakthrough of scientific history. This area of microbiology needs to be further explored. There are several advantages that cloning may serve. A child needs a bone marrow transplant within the next two years. You could clone a copy and retrieve the bone marrow. Cloning would give lesbians a way to bear a biological descendant without visiting the spermbank. Perhaps the army could breed stronger, braver soldiers to use just for battle. Let's look at the advantages to cloning mammals: A farmer could clone his prize cow over and over making several copies of it, producing better milk with more nutrients. A shepard could clone the sheep with the best wool and he wouldn't need as many sheep. We could clone endangered species, making them no longer endangered. The list of benefits are endless. I realize that cloning is immoral to many people. The power of a creationism has become ours, in a sense. Many are skeptical of this science but the future will reveal that it is going to become more and more researched.

Female Genital Mutilation in the Middle East and North Africa Essay

Values and beliefs of a certain society can be illumined through the traditional cultural practices that often span from one generation to another. Globally, every social group has its own traditional cultural practices that are considered to be beneficial for the community. However, there are many instances that such practices may be harmful for some groups, most especially for women. Terrible traditional cultural practices are committed directly against females around the world. Despite the atrocities of such practices and its violation against human rights, many women-violent practices still exist and are prevalent in other countries. One of the most prevalent forms of harmful traditional practices is the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) (Office of the High Commisioner of Human Rights-United Nations Organization [OHCR-UNOG]). The pervasiveness of FGM is attributed to people’s inability to question the morality of such action that should be addressed to those who practice female genital mutilation. As such, despite of the interventions of many international communities, in order to achieve gender equality, women are still violated and continue to be denied of various human rights. Hence, it can be perceived that many traditional cultural practices, including female genital mutilation is carried out for the benefit of the male populace (OHCR-UNOG). Historical Background of Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as ‘female circumcision’ or ‘female genital cutting’, involves procedures that are centered in the partial or overall removal of the female’s external genitalia, or the infliction of injury to the genital organs of female for non-medical reasons. More often than not, the practice is performed by traditional circumcisers who are believed to play a significant role in the community where they belong. However, records have indicated that FGM is also carried out by medically trained professionals (World Health Organization [WHO]). FGM is considered to be an age-old practice existent in various communities globally because it is known to be a custom (OHCR-UNOG). However, FGM’s origin has not been well established. Certain theories indicate that female genital mutilation predates male mutilation (Davis 158 qtd. in Lightfoot-Klein). In one study, it was shown that FGM occurred in areas that are considered to be restricted to the rest of the world which includes Islamic, Semitic and Christian nations. It was contemplated that â€Å"the more ancient a custom or belief, the more universally it is found† (Lightfoot-Kline). All throughout history, reports regarding female circumcision has been existent. The very first historical reference of FGM can be traced from the literature of Herotodus, who wrote that FGM already existed during 5th century BC in Ancient Egypt. He even pointed out that the practice had its beginnings in Egypt or Ethiopia because FGM has been performed by Ethiopians, Phoenicians, and Hitties (Taba qtd. in Lightfoot-Kline). One Greek papyrus dated 163 BC found in the British museum indicated that circumcisions were performed on girls by the time they received dowries. Different authors claimed that FGM was practiced by early Romans and Arabs (Kline). Methods employed in order to repress women’s sexuality has been well recorded in history. In ancient Rome, women slaves are required to wear metal rings which were passed through the labia minora in order to prevent procreation. During the absence of their husbands, women from medieval England wore chastity belts to avoid promiscuity. Tsarist Russia, as well as France, America, and France during the 19th century already practice clitoridectomy; while evidences from mummified bodies of ancient Egypt indicate that excision and infibulation has been performed, thereby giving rise to the existence of pharaonic circumcision (OHCR-UNOG). Types of Female Genital Mutilation Various types of female genital mutilation are performed depending on the cultural history and traditions of a certain community. Basically there are three common types of FGM: (1) Type one or Sunna circumcision. â€Å"Sunna† is an Arabic term which means tradition in English. This form of FGM is done by removing the prepuce or the clitoris’ tip. (2) Type two also called as clitoridectomy or excision is widely practiced in Egypt. This procedure involves the removal of the whole clitoris including the prepuce, glans and the adjacent labia. (3) Type three which is commonly referred to as infibulation or pharaonic circumcision is the procedure commonly applied in Sudan and Somalia. Considered as the most dramatic type of FGM, infibulation, which literally means â€Å"to fasten with a clip or buckle,† involves not only the removal of the clitoris and the nearby labia, but also include the sewing of remaining parts of vulva with the use of a catgut or thread. Such form of mutilation leaves only a tiny hole in the female genital that serves as a passage for the urine and menstrual blood. Women who are infibulated are cut open during their wedding night in order to perform sexual intercourse. However, right after the act, they are sewn again in order to avoid infidelity. More often than not, the groom is responsible for opening the bride’s sewn genitalia with the use of a double-edged dagger. There are some instances that women are cut open and are sewn back together during the time of their separation with their husbands. (4) The remaining type of FGM which is categorized as type four mutilation includes procedures that inflict damage to the female genitalia. Such form of mutilation may range from piercing, pricking, and stretching of labia or clitoris; burning of the clitoris and other tissues of the genitalia through cauterization; scraping of vaginal orifice; vaginal cutting; placing corrosive substances to cause vaginal bleeding, and the introduction of herbal substances to narrow or tighten the vagina (Rosenthal). The most common type of FGM is the clitoral and labia minora excision which constitutes about 80% of all FGM case. However, infibulation is considered as the most extreme form which accounts to 15% of all the mutilation procedures (Steiner, Alston, and Goodman,). The Cultural and Religious Tie: Middle East and African Areas Located Above the Equator The principle of female genital mutilation is prevalent in the societies of African territory. The extent of such phenomena can be seen in 25 countries of Africa. Infibulation is widely performed in areas including Djibouti, Mali, Somalia, selected parts of Ethiopia, Egypt and the northern region of Sudan. Meanwhile, excision and circumcision are evident in Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Gambia, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Guinea, Guinnea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo and other areas in the United Republic of Tanzania (OHCR-UNOG). Currently, WHO estimated that annually about three million African girls are at risk for female genital mutilation and about 92 million of the female populace, age 10 years and above have already undergone mutilation. The prevalence of FGM in the said areas is associated primarily with myths and the ignorance of people towards biological, medical, and religious perspectives. As noted by Hanny Lighfoot-Klein: â€Å"The clitoris is perceived as repulsive, filthy, foul smelling, dangerous to the life of the emerging new born, and hazardous to the health and potency of the husband† (Lightfoot-Klein, n. p. ). Majority of African countries adhere to such beliefs that it has been well embraced and became a value, causing FGM to become a customary practice over time. In Sudan, the clitoris is believe to grow to the length of the neck of a goose; long enough to dangle between the legs which could rival the male penis if left uncut. Such concept influences the perception of males, thereby reinforcing them not to marry a woman who is uncircumcised or â€Å"unclean† (Lightfoot-Klein). Among the Bambara’s in Mali, it is widely viewed that once the clitoris touches the head of a child being born, automatically the child will die. As the clitoris is considered to be the male characteristic of females, its removal is seen as an action that would result in the enhancement of femininity. In Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia, females are imposed to undergo mutilation in order to control their sexuality and ensure their virginity until marriage and their chastity right after (OHCR-UNOG). Because childbearing and marriage are the only options for most of African women, majority of them are forced to submit themselves to the practice genital mutilation which they also have to pass on to their daughters (Lightfoot-Klein). The institutionalization of patriarchal system within the society also plays a significant role in the perpetration of FGM. In ancient Mesopotamia, the code of Hammurabi embarked the presence of some features of patriarchy in public veiling and sexual repression of women. It was stated in the code that fathers were entitled to treat his daughter’s virginity as a ‘family property asset. Due to this system, women were categorized as â€Å"respectable,† meaning they were chaste and conforming, and â€Å"disreputable,† which translates to low class or slaves. As a result, women who bowed to the system benefited from it by securing their own safety as well as that of their children. However, they became the steadfast advocates of the system, thereby imposing it to their daughters. Present-day Africans follow the same patriarchal outlook. Female circumcision is then performed to the daughters of the women, who, during the time they were young, experienced mutilation. Although perceived by many as a violation against human rights, the practice is defended by the women themselves because they consider it as an essential part of their tradition that ensures the social standing of their family in the community they belong (Lighfoot-Klein). The existence of patriarchal society is attributed to economic reasons. Historically, fathers are known to be keen in identifying their â€Å"real† children, in order to know who is going to handle his property. Hence, it could be perceived that the establishment of systems including moral and religious values, as well as legal aspects became an imperative in order to protect the economic interests that uphold the society. In this regard, it is hard to abandon a custom that benefits the economic interest not only of the family but the whole society as well. The existence of such system guarantees profit for many, thereby catapulting â€Å"dayas† and medical practitioners to resist changes in the practice of female genital mutilation. Likewise, the family woman can gain considerable bride price if she is mutilated by the time of the marriage. Moreover, women continuously submit themselves to FGM for the fear that their husbands will divorce them for a second wife. This perspective serves as a threat for the women in the society who have no economic recourse and access to own properties and relies only on the â€Å"bride price gold that she wears on her body. † As such, it can be concluded that female genital mutilation is the result of the economic interest permeating within the society (Lightfoot-Klein). While many experts hold that female genital mutilation is an African custom, there are few reports regarding the existence of FGM in the Middle Eastern territory. This is understandable because it is difficult to study sexual relations in societies of Middle East. Almost everything regarding sexuality and personal matters are kept in private sphere. Likewise, books and research pertaining to Middle Eastern sexual habits are almost non-existent or at the most, heavily guarded by the comprehensive rules based from the Islamic law. However, recent finding from northern Iraq suggests that FGM is also practiced widely in societies outside of Africa. The case study of Iraqi Kurdistan served as an instructive case. In 2003, a German-Austrian NGO called WADI took the initiative to take medical and social support to the women in Kurdish areas. More than a year later, women who received support spoke about the practice of FGM. It was found out that Kurds used the sunna circumcision and were performed by midwives. Subsequent studies found out that of 1,544 women, 907 had undergone FGM, which further suggests that 60% of the population view mutilation as a normal practice. The discovery in Iraqi Kurdistan debunks the assumption that FGM is solely an African practice. As Fran Hosken quoted: â€Å"There is little doubt that similar practices—excision, child marriage, and putting rock salt into the vagina of women after childbirth—exist in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula and around the Persian Gulf (Hosken 278 qtd in Osten Sacken, and Uwer). The absence of medical records tackling FGM in the whole region does not necessarily mean that the Middle Eastern territories are free from female circumcision. Such issue is left undetected due to the lack of freedom to permit formal studies regarding the subject. Taboo also plays a significant role in the undercutting of researches in Arab nations. Many scholars and NGO in Arab countries prohibits the criticism predominant culture of Arabs and Muslims. Because of these findings many questions were raised by the critics of FGM, one of which is whether the said phenomena is a religious issue in the Middle East (Osten-Sacken and Uwer). Many Muslims and academics from the West claim that FGM is not based from religion rather it is a practice shaped by culture (Simonet qtd in Osten-Sacken and Uwer). However, in a village level, the people who are committed to the practice perceive the action as mandate by the religion. Although the law of Islam does not have any justifications regarding FGM, many Islamic clerics in the Northern part of Iraq advise women to undergo mutilation. If the women wish to abandon such practice, she must suffer the consequence of appearing disreputable in the eyes of the public (Mackie qtd ini Osten-Sacken and Uwer). Some Islamic scholars may disagree with FGM but others refer to the mention of FGM in the Hadith as a defense for the persistence of such practice in Middle East. The claim was further sufficed by the Islamic law specialist Sami Aldeeb Abu Salieh when he stated: The most often mentioned narration reports a debate between Muhammed and Um Habibah (or Um ‘Atiyyah). This woman, known as an exciser of female slaves, was one of a group of women who had immigrated with Muhammed. Having seen her, Muhammad asked her if she kept practicing her profession. She answered affirmatively, adding: â€Å"unless it is forbidden, and you order me to stop doing it. † Muhammed replied: â€Å"Yes, it is allowed. Come closer so I can teach you: if you cut, do not overdo it, because it brings more radiance to the face, and it is more pleasant for the husband. (Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh 575-622 qtd in Osten- Sacken and Uwen). Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh’s claim is further reinforced by other Islam scholars by stating that Islam condones sunna circumcision but not the pharaonic circumcision (Omer qtd in Osten-Sacken and Uwen), and that since the prophet Muhammad does not condemn the act, thereby making it permissible and cannot be outlawed (Aldeeb Abu Sahlieh qtd in Osten-Sacken). Ultimately, the practice of female genital mutilation in the Middle East may have its roots in the cultural scope of the region. However, its religious ties cannot be disregarded. Effects of Female Genital Mutilation The implications of FGM can be short-term and long term. The immediate consequences of the practice are hemorrhage, acute pain and infection. The infections are commonly acquired from the usage of unsterilized instruments performed in unhygienic areas and introduction of substances. The infections may range from tetanus, general septicamea, chronic pelvic infections, and recurrent urinary tract infections. Recently the transfer of HIV has also been a concern for the FGM researchers (OHCR-UNOG). Obstetric complications are also common among mutilated women. Pregnant mutilated woman put the life of her child in danger because the fetus is at risk of acquiring infectious disease. Likewise, the head of the child may be crushed during the delivery due to damaged birth canal. Furthermore, infibulated women are needed to be opened during child birth and are commonly reinfibulated after every delivery resulting to the scarring of the genitals. Cyst commonly referred to as epidermal clitoral inclusion cyst may also develop among women who undergo type 3 FGM (Rosenthal). Female Genital Mutilation has also psychological implications. These include sexual phobias, depression, and lack of libido which result in the premature ejaculation among women’s partners, personality disorders like rebellion which may eventually lead to psychiatric disorders (Rosenthal). Some evidences indicate that children who undergo FGM experience recurring nightmares (OHCR-UNOG). The socio-economic problems associated with FGM include higher divorce rate and drug abuse which are commonly associated with the males. It was found out that a male with mutilated wife has the tendency of using narcotics to give sexual pleasure to his wives (Rosenthal). Response to Female Genital Mutilation In 1997, World Health Organization (WHO) together with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) issued statements against the continuous practice of female genital mutilation. By 2008, a new statement was issued supporting the increased advocacy of totally condemning FGM which was backed heavily backed by more countries of the United Nation. The 2008 statement include data concerning the past and present practice of FGM. The statement also gave emphasis on the increased recognition of human rights and provided evidences regarding the extent of the issue. The damaging effects of FGM were also presented in order to affect changes in the public policy. From 1997, various government and non-government organizations both in the international and local levels ratified laws abandoning FGM (WHO). Conclusion Based on the study, it is apparent that female genital mutilation predominantly place women in a disadvantaged position. Immense cultural pressure is considered to be the root cause of FGM. However, based from several findings, religion also serves as an encouragement for the existence of such practice. The impact of FGM does not only affect women but also the society where it is widely recognized as a custom. Although, international interventions reduced the prevalence of FGM in African regions during the past years, its practice may not be totally eliminated if practicing communities will not abandon the act itself. Hence, organizations as well as government agencies should further promote awareness regarding the issue of FGM. Works Cited Lighfoot-Klein, Hanny. â€Å"Prisoners of ritual: Some contemporary developments in the history of female genital mutilation. † The Female Genital Mutilation Cutting Education And Networking Project. 30 April-03 May 1991. 10 December 2008 . Office of the High Commisioner of Human Rights-United Nations Organization. â€Å"Fact sheet no. 23, harmful traditional practices affecting the health of women and children. † Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2008. 10 December 2008 . Osten-Sacken, Thomas and Uwer, Thomas. â€Å"Is female genital mutilation an Islamic problem? † The Middle East Quarterly. 2007. 10 December 2008 < http://www. meforum. org/article/1629#_ftn38>. Rosenthal, Sara. The Gynecological Sourcebook. Chicago, IL: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003. Steiner, Henry, Alston, Philip and Goodman, Ryan. International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals: Test And Materials. New York: Oxford University Press US, 2008 World Health Organization. â€Å"Female genital mutilation. † May 2008. 10 December 2008 .

How Economics Have Changed My Life Essay

They say that if you look at it things closely, you will see the essence of economics going about its daily routine. Indeed, from the man buying his morning coffee to the woman calling for a cab, the economic system is all around us. Not many people notice it (or are just apathetic about it). But surely, it’s everywhere. Day and night – it never stops. The moment the sun sets in one part of the world, money starts circulating on the opposite side. The buying and selling of goods begins. Services now continue with their proceedings and processes. And infrastructure construction resumes. Truly, depending on how one views his or her own surroundings, one will be able to see the active nature of economics. Economics, in the simplest sense, refers to the study of the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. As a field of study, economics aims to comprehend the daily processes of the subjects mentioned. As such, the study of economics helps people understand the never ending activity of economics within their daily lives. Apart from the study of the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services, probably one of the most important aspects of economics is the study or analysis of scarcity. Scarcity, in the economic sense, means the availability (or unavailability) of resources (insufficient) that are used to satisfy the needs and wants of the populace. As what the late Lionel Robbins – a British Economist of the late 20th century – had claimed, â€Å"Economics is the Science which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Using Robbins’ definition, it can be deduced that the study of economics is the study of man’s choices over how to fulfill his needs and wants through the regulation and use of scarce natural resources. In its activities, economics attempts to make full use of scarce resources efficiently. This nature of efficiency helps the adherents of economics – and in the general sense, the entire world – to understand the world around them. Simply said, it helps the person who is familiar with economics understand how or why a certain product’s price goes up or down. Likewise, a person who understands the study of economics will be able to determine the economic health of his or her own country; thus, paving the way to understanding and interpreting some possible implications to the politics of the nation, its society and its environment. Truly, people who understand economics are people who understand how the world works (at least in terms of human resources and human activity). Let us take, for example, the Stock Market. How does a stock price go up? Why does it go down? How do people profit from it? Oppositely, how do people lose money from it? Economically speaking, the Stock Market is or can be used as a determinant for the country’s economic growth and development. As such, people who understand the Stock Market will be able to understand the aggregate economy of the country. However, before everything else, one must first understand the study of economics before one can understand the working’s of the Stock Market. This statement only highlights the importance of economics in our daily lives. Personally, my study of economics has helped me advance my life in many ways. For starters, it has helped me understand the law of supply and demand. The law of supply and demand is undoubtedly one of the strongest foundations of every economy in every country in the world. As the law dictates, the higher the demand, the higher the supply and consequently, the higher the supply, the lower the demand becomes. Basically, the law follows a simple cycle of product prices fluctuating in response to the populace needs and wants. Understanding this law benefits me in more ways than one. For instance, I am able to anticipate whether a certain product’s price will go up or down. By understanding that higher demand tempts sellers to increase their prices, I am able to expect such fluctuations and then make my monthly budgeting more versatile and frugal. Likewise, I am able to anticipate whether a certain product’s price might go down due to excessive supply and low demand. In that way, I am able to make certain changes in my spending habits by carefully predicting the right time prices will go down; thus, maximizing my available purchasing power. Indeed, knowledge about the Law of Supply and Demand can make an individual more frugal and less prodigal – simply said, it makes a person more â€Å"economic†. This knowledge may seem to be irrelevant for some people. But personally, I find this knowledge an advantage against others. Being able to hold a sort of reading reference for possible future circumstances pertaining to product prices can truly serve as an edge over other consumers. And this advantage does not stop there. The more a person studies the field of economics, the more he or she will understand the workings of the economy and ultimately use it to his or her own advantage. Let us take, for example, the Banking System. In the past, I found the system of banks and their proceedings to be an intricate process that is too much for the average person to understand and take advantage of. After understanding the basic foundations of economics, however, I was able to somehow comprehend the normal workings of the Bank. By being able to do so, I am able to take advantage of the Bank’s perceived benefits without ironically putting myself within the economic damages of the Bank’s perceived detriments. Furthermore, I am able to understand the workings of borrowing and paying loans – both in its deadly and beneficial aspects. Now armed with this knowledge, I am now able to perform financially competent within the economy of the country. I am able establish businesses with the help of the bank; of which, technically, results to the creation of jobs, the stimulation of buying and selling of products and materials and the circulation of money – all done accordingly in contribution to the aggregate economy of the nation. The study of economics, as some historians and economists suggest, has been around since the time humans first initiated commercial relationships with different societies within their own kind. Indeed, humankind started out with some simple trade rules and processes. The most famous of all (and probably the most ancient) was the trade process known as barter. Barter is simply an act of exchanging one’s goods in trade for another’s. Many traders and/or merchants from different societies have used this method for centuries – trading valuable goods in exchange for the exotic, the priceless for the unique and the old for the new. It is through this type of trading process that humankind first developed a sense of importance for this activity of buying and selling of goods. For one thing, security and trust was a problem. A lot of traders mostly lie about the quality (and sometimes the quantity) of their goods. Some even resort to petty thievery and conning activities – mostly after the trade has been conducted. Furthermore, people faced problems with regards to the implications of their activities. Imagine a situation in the past where we assume that a Chinese trader decides to bring Jadestones to India. The traders of India are delighted. They then exchange their goods. The next week, the Indian traders demand to the Chinese traders to bring more Jadestones for the people of India somehow found it both exquisite and valuable. Since trade was done merely through barter, Jadestones poured into the Ancient Indian Society in exchange for more important goods such as rice, wood and other agricultural or mineral products of lesser value. The end result would be a disaster: Jadestones overwhelming the country without any way of determining its value to other foreign traders whom they wish to sell it to or who wish to acquire it. If the study of economics was prevalent back then, this situation could have never happened. Speaking of commerce, history suggests that humankind eventually evolved from barter to the use of currencies through the development of ancient coins. Initially, currencies where first developed through the creation of small metal coins that were used to represent stored values of cargo and commodities. Eventually, these coins began storing value themselves. Coins made from many different kinds of materials – ranging from plain metal to solid gold – started becoming valuable. Thus, came a different era where trading no longer requires the loss of one’s goods in exchange for another. Coins of different kinds were now used to determine the value of the goods that were being taken – or in the economic sense, sold. Purchases and exchanges were now done in accordance with the value of the coins being exchanged. For instance, gold coins were used for large purchases and the backing of State activities. Silver coins represented large transactions between traders and merchants while copper coins represented common transactions between citizens. Eventually, the era of coins was put to an end when the introduction of paper money and credit money began in as early as the 7th century in Ancient China. Being that major traders were now trading in huge volumes whilst bringing and using large amounts of coins during their trips in order to conduct their proceedings and processes, the weight of their carriages became intolerable. Thus, ancient traders and merchants resorted to putting their name and the amount of coins they had on paper – indicating to their counterparts and colleagues that that were the amount of coins they had (which, unfortunately, they cannot bring). It was less burdening for merchants and traders alike. In fact, the Ancient Chinese Emperors found it so convenient that they began establishing the act (the putting the amount on paper) as a business norm. Paper money was then regulated among the populace and among traders and merchants overseas. The rest, as they say, was history. Governments, Empires and Monarchies alike began issuing a unit of currency for their paper money and no sooner, the era of currency trading began and at present, major international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and others now regulates the entire foreign exchange system of the world. All of these were made possible through the study of economics. And for that, I can safely say that economics have already made an impact on my life even before I was born. I can only imagine what life would be if currencies were not yet introduced in the world of business. Purchasing products would probably be a hardy task. Obtaining resources from other countries would also require intricate processes and mechanics. Ultimately, governments would probably find it hard to conduct businesses, regulate the economy and build infrastructures. The study of economics has helped me understand all these concepts and contexts (even though only in a minimal level). Indeed, though the existence of these ancient currencies may have been one of the earliest foundations of the development of the study of economics, it cannot be denied that it was the study of economics which made the nature of these currencies become more comprehensible. The creation of paper money and credit money has benefited humankind in many ways. First of all, people are now able to carry with huge amounts of money with as little weight as possible. Second, the value and goods can now be easily determined (coupled with the law of supply and demand). Finally, business transactions and salary payment can now be easily conducted. All these benefits have undoubtedly manifested themselves generally from the study of economics. The study of economics have helped me changed my life in more ways than one. Apart from making my life a lot easier (as compared to the absence of the knowledge of it), it has also made me change my view of a lot of things. Studying economics has made me understand how the country’s economy runs. It helped me understand how banks and other financial institutions work. Furthermore, it has also helped me understand the daily workings of everyday life – from the buying and selling of goods to the acquiring and paying of debts. As such, I am able to see things in a more â€Å"economic† view. And indeed, it has made my life more fascinating, if not complex. Learning economics is not an easy task. Economics, in general, covers a lot of topics and sub-topics ranging from microeconomics to macroeconomics. As such, it is important for its recipients to devote as much time as possible in order to – not necessarily master but – be adequate about it. For one thing, economics is not a walk in the park. With all its benefits and privileges comes a different set of detriments and sacrifices. I am not implying, though, that those who do master all the concepts and contexts of economics will be the ones who’ll practically lead better lives than others – that is a different issue. I am implying, however, that those who do master economics in all its wonders and intricacies will lead very different lives as compared to those who are completely ignorant or apathetic to the knowledge. As said before, economics is all around us. It never sleeps. Its processes and activities are present in every society, in every community. It is a sort of quasi-invisible force that, if viewed consciously, would guide our everyday lives. As such, it is important to note that having the knowledge of economics is better than having none.

The Impotence of Proofreading

The Impotence of Proofreading The Impotence of Proofreading The Impotence of Proofreading By Daniel Scocco Its a fact that a spell checker will not catch all the mistakes on your text. More specifically, it will not catch misspellings that form other valid words. So how do you solve this problem? Proofreading, of coarse! Just read again through youre text trying to spot words that dont fit, and make sure to not loose the focus while you do it. Proofreading is sometimes more important then using the spell checker itself. You should proofread virtually any written piece, from emails to blog posts. Proofread your homework as well, since you dont want to drive the principle of your school crazy. Lets be honest, misspelled words are defiantly a sign of ignorance. The simple act of proofreading will have a great affect on the quality of your material, and I am sure that youll earn more complements from people. Their you go my friend, and take this advice seriously. After all, you dont want to look dumb in front of the general pubic! P.S. Can you find all the mistakes? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowUsed To vs. Use To50 Synonyms for â€Å"Villain†

An Explanation of the Truman Doctrine

An Explanation of the Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine was a key part of the Cold War, both in how this conflict of posturing and puppets began, and how it developed over the years. The doctrine was policy to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures, and announced on March 12th, 1947 by US President Harry Truman, making the doctrine US government policy for decades. The Start of the Truman Doctrine The doctrine was dreamed up in response to crises in Greece and Turkey, nations which Americans believed were in danger of falling into the Soviet sphere of influence. The US and the USSR had been in alliance during the Second World War, but this was to defeat a common enemy in the Germans and the Japanese. When the war ended and Stalin was left in control of Eastern Europe, which he had conquered and intended to subjugate, the US realized the world was left with two superpowers, and one was as bad as the Nazis they had just defeated and far stronger than before. Fear was mixed with paranoia and a little bit of guilt. A conflict was possible, depending on how both sides reacted... and they produced one. While there was no realistic way to free Eastern Europe from Soviet domination, Truman and the US wanted to stop any further countries falling within their control, and the presidents speech promised monetary aid and military advisors to Greece and Turkey to stop them buckling. However, the doctrine was not just aimed at these two, but expanded worldwide as part of the Cold War to cover assistance to all nations threatened by communism and the Soviet Union, involving the US with western Europe, Korea, and Vietnam among others. A major part of the doctrine was the policy of containment. The Truman Doctrine was developed in 1950 by NSC-68 (National Security Council Report 68) which assumed the Soviet Union was trying to spread its power across the whole world, decided that the US should stop this and advocated a more active, military, policy of containment, fully abandoning previous US doctrines like Isolationism. The resulting military budget rose from $13 billion in 1950 to $60 billion in 1951 as the US prepared for the struggle. Good or Bad? What did this mean, in practice? On the one hand, it meant the US involving themselves in every region of the world, and this has been described as a constant battle to keep freedom and democracy alive and well where they are threatened, just as Truman announced. On the other, it is becoming increasingly impossible to look at the Truman doctrine without noticing the terrible governments who were supported, and the highly questionable actions taken by the free west, in order to support opponents of the Soviets.

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international Essay

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international business perspective - Essay Example The influence of the earthquake and the tsunami in the nuclear strategies of countries worldwide is examined in this paper. Reference is also made to the effects of the event on the global market. Appropriate theories are used for explaining the relationship between the earthquake in Japan and the nuclear crisis that followed. 2. Background of earthquake It could be argued that Japan should be best prepared to face such events. Two Swiss experts have been asked to evaluate the potentials of predicting the above earthquake: In accordance with Domenico Giardini, there were major chances to predict the specific earthquake. It is noted that earthquakes of 8.5 are considered as possible in the greater region; also, a few days before the above earthquake, tremors of 7.7 were reported in the region, but they were not given the adequate attention (Kuenzi & Beti 2011).

The United States should NOT withdraw its troops from Afganistan in Essay

The United States should NOT withdraw its troops from Afganistan in 2014 as currently planned - Essay Example have started to believe that withdrawal of forces is necessary as the conflict has resulted in thousands of death and the figures continue to rise without any positive impact. According to the figures of June 2011, over 1500 US military officials have lost their lives and this figure does not constitute those who expired due to injuries. Several factors that need to be considered while deciding about the decision of withdrawal including return of Taliban and the outcome of the war. The entire cost of the war has been quite high and the war has been associated with the recent recession experienced by the entire world. Afghanistan itself is in very bad conditions, the infrastructure has been destroyed during the course of the war. Before exiting from Afghanistan, US needs to make sure that life is restored in Afghanistan, if the troops leave now, the probability of return of Taliban and increase in the number of terrorists is quite high. The war was led by United States and if they quit the region, other nations will follow their lead and the allied forces will lose control. On 12 February 2013, President Obama talked about withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the public of United States demands the same (GORDON, 2013). Withdrawing now is not a favorable option as the country is still under the threat of terrorists. If US troops leave now, the Taliban will return to nation as soon as the troops leave. This means that in future, events such as 9/11 will have a higher probability of re-occurring. Death of Osama Bin Laden does not mark the end of terrorism, as replacements of his leadership are already operational. To counter the issue, US troops need to continue fighting in Afghanistan and remain there until life is restored in Afghanistan and all terrorists are eliminated. Withdrawal of troops during 2014 without achievement of end of terrorism and restoration of life in Afghanistan will raise question regarding the entire war. Those who lost their loved ones

World Religions Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

World Religions Report - Essay Example The Jehovah’s witnesses postulated the non-existence of hell, the non-existence of the Trinity, reduced the Holy Spirit from a person to a force and believed in the mortality of the soul. Similarly they do not celebrate Christmas as they do not celebrate holidays or birthdays. According to them Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. On the other hand, he asked his disciples to memorize or remember his death. Thus, the most important annual event for the Jehovah witness is the commemoration of Jesus’ death. They also do not believe in the Christian doctrine of Trinity, the concept of the three persons in God- the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. To support its doctrines, the Watchtower organization (which is the author and teacher of all official Jehovahs Witness theology), has even altered the Bible to make it agree with its changing and non-Christian teachings. The lives of Jehovah’s disciples are thus governed by their understanding of the scr ipture as interpreted by the Watchtower Bible and Tract society of New York. For them Jehovah is the Supreme Being and creator of everything and Jesus is only yet another creation of this supreme entity. Even though they don’t believe Jesus to be the son of God, they believe that Jesus’ death was necessary for the atonement of the sins committed by the first man Adam. They strongly believe in the Word of God and resort to preaching as a major part of their missionary life. Thus, one finds the Jehovah witnesses moving from door to door, house to house preaching about God’s kingdom and interpreting the Bible. For them, â€Å"living by Bible principles gives purpose to life, promotes strong family ties, and develops productive and honest citizens.† (Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2004). Thus, they try to promote Bible education through preaching and the distribution of Bibles and Bible study aids. Until

Locke: Of Identity And Diversity

Locke: Of Identity And Diversity I will begin by analyzing John Lockes theory of personal identity. Locke describes personal identity in his chapter Of Identity and Diversity, where he differentiates identity into different components until he creates a more general account of identity. Locke begins by explaining how Each individual atom is the same at a time, and stays the same over time.1It is in his first few lines that Locke stresses that identity for atoms depends on their continued identical existence over time. He then makes it clear that the most important part of identity of an organism is the continuation of the same life. However, Lockes difficulty is in deciding if physical or psychological continuity was more important. It is clear that Locke rejects the idea that the identity of the human body is a necessary part of the identity of a person. Locke proves this point using his example of the soul of a prince in the body of a cobbler: For should the soul of a prince, carrying with it the consciousness of the princes past life, enter and inform the body of a cobbler, as soon as deserted by his own soul, everyone sees he would be the same person with the prince, accountable only for the princes actions; but who would say it was the same man?2 In this example Locke shows that the human body is not necessary in personal identity since you could have the same person in two different bodies. Since the physical body cannot maintain personal identity, Locke comes to the conclusion that it must be the psychological aspect of humanity that retains personal identity. 1It is at this point that the emphasis of identity is placed on the psychological rather than the physical aspect of life as stated in Lockes second book: This may show us wherein personal identity consists: not in the identity of substance, but in the identity of consciousness3 Lockes next point was to differentiate between a man and a person. He uses the example of a rational talking parrot and compares it to an organism with the same shape as a human being though; it is unable to engage in rational discourse.1 This thought experiment is used by Locke to demonstrate that rationality is not an essential part of a man. Since rational discourse was not a necessary part of man. Locke expressed identity using something else. Thus, Locke finally narrowed down the integral part of personal identity to consciousness. Lockes definition of conscious is as follows: Consciousness is both a necessary and a sufficient condition for a morally vital sense of personal identity.3 Locke describes the essence of self as being their consciousness, which he states as something distinguishable for every thinking thing. This consciousness is described as the sameness of a rational being. The unique characteristic of consciousness is that allows it to retain personal identity is that it can be extended backwards to any past action or thought. It is this characteristic that Locke uses to explain his theory of personal identity. 4Locke also disagrees with the Cartesian view of the soul, which held that a mans soul was of an entirely different essence than his body, focusing more on the connectedness of the same conscious thought. Therefore, Locke reaches the conclusion that personal identity can only be achieved through psychological continuity. As a result of this, psychological continuity relies only on the beings ability to consciously look back on their previous existence and be able to distinguish between conscious thought and memory. This distinction is extremely important to bec ause Locke is frequently ambiguous when dealing with both terms. When he refers to conscious memory, he implies that it represents the consciousness of a past experience. Conscious thought, on the other hand, involves perceiving that one perceives. Locke explains that when we will anything, we are always conscious of it. Psychological continuity, as Locke describes it, also insinuates that a person who exists at one time is indistinguishable with a person who exists at a second time only if the first person remembers some past experience that connects the second person to the second time. Therefore, Lockes definition of personal identity centers around the continuity of the consciousness, which is able to relate past and present memories and retain some sense of self awareness. Now that I have explained and given an analysis of Lockes theory of personal identity, I will now evaluate the validity of Lockes theory by proving that his account of personal identity is incorrect. Lockes arguments contain flaws from their conception. I have a great difficulty with Lockes statement of self-conscious awareness as the main constituent of personal identity since intrinsically that consciousness is available only to each unique self. Due to this dilemma, third party juries will be subject to error in many cases. In order to further explain this point, I will divide my argument into two questions; what does personal identity consist of and how can one tell a person is the same? First, since Locke defined personal identity as a persons consciousness, I will use that as my basis for this argument. Thus, since we can only tell a person through their physical aspect, it becomes impossible to distinguish if someone elses consciousness resides in the person you are looking at . An example would be if a person robbed a bank but wasnt conscious of the fact that he performed the act in the first place. According to Locke, the man should be free of all charges since he wasnt the same person who robbed the bank. This however is preposterous if in a courtroom there is evidence of that person robbing the bank, the only exception being if the person could prove they lost consciousness throughout the event. Another error found within Lockes argument centers around the fact that even though a person can switch bodies, it is the consciousness that determines the identity of the bodies. Thus it is clear that while Lockes statements seem perfectly rational in theory, practically though, they have no weight. Another flaw found in Lockes argument, is in how he leaves out particular cases where his theory of psychological continuity cannot apply. First however, I must define the distinction between person and man. Locke defines man as a living body of some particular sh ape. A person, on the other hand, is an intelligent thinking being that can know itself as itself the same thinking thing in different times and places.4An example of this would be humans who remain in vegetative conditions and show no mental faculties whatsoever. According to Lockes description of personal identity these human beings are not considered persons since nothing can be discovered from their past in order for that individual to define their psychological identity. Lockes argument between man and person becomes too controversial since the definition of both terms can never truly be settled. In conclusion, after providing examples to counterclaim Lockes argument that personal identity originates from psychological continuity it is clear that Lockes view on identity is too flawed to be correct when defining identity for each person. 1William, Uzgalis. John Locke > The Immateriality of the Soul and Personal Identity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/supplement.html (accessed October 13, 2010). 2Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 517-518. 3John, Locke. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 514. 4John, Locke. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 515. sBibliography Uzgalis, William. John Locke > The Immateriality of the Soul and Personal Identity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/supplement.html (accessed October 13, 2010). Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 517-518. Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 514. Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 515.