Philosophy Life After Death Analysis Essays - Richard Dawkins

Philosophy: Life After Death Analysis To what extent does it make sense to talk about life after death? Nobody likes the idea that we are going to die. Its one of those things that pop into your head whenever you get comfortable, possibly as a subconscious motivational tool. Just in case you ever get really, truly at ease with your life it strikes you that it will all come to an end (possibly quite horribly) without your say-so or even prior notification. Many people find this not only rude but also decidedly inconvenient, and refuse to accept that their lovely lives could ever end. Others are content to allow existence is occasional bout of poor manners and go quietly. This essay is about the main ways people accept their demise, or rather (as it is in most cases) do not. Materialism With science fast becoming the newest rock and roll, you would think more people would be zealous advocates of materialism, but this is not the case. You would think that the belief that you are nothing more than a soulless (although organic) piece of machinery, rambling aimlessly with only the purpose of reproducing and a brain minutely to advanced to accept this would have most people jumping at the chance to support it. Perhaps this is because materialism falls under the umbrella of reductionism, and as Richard Dawkins says, in some circles, admitting to being a reductionist is comparable to admitting to eating babies. Conveniently for this paper however, there has been a long and steadfast tradition of Materialism, the primus inter pares of which is a Mr Gilbert Ryle. In 1949 when psychology was a young and nubile science, seen (as all new sciences are seen) to hold the Holy Grail to understanding the human mind, Ryle published The Concept Of The Mind. In this he dismissed the soul as a category mistake, or as the lay would say a misuse of language. He even went so far as to coin a scornful phrase for his nemesis the ghost in the machine a beautifully elegant term as it embodies both his belief of the body/mind (as for Ryle, the mind is physical organ and so part of the body) as a machine and the soul as the long jibed-by-science notion of ghosts. Ryle implored us to consider the poor foreigner who asks why the team spirit is late for the sports match, only to be mocked by those of us who understand that team spirit is merely a romantic term for the collective banter of many men not a separate e ntity of its own. Ryle saw talk of a soul in a similar fashion, as a way to describe the way a man behaves in the world and acts around others and that to say a soul is something separate is trying to justify something that simply isnt there. Unfortunately for Ryle he was speaking shortly after a very bloody war, to a nation who had just lost many friend and loved ones, who were not really all too willing to accept they had simply been thrust into oblivion by the Nazi war machine. However we live in an altogether different time, far from any front line where we can keep the idea of death at a hypothetical arm's reach. So enters Richard Dawkins. Dawkins appears to be the classic godless heathen atheist, holding totally to his beliefs in the science of genetics and conviction that they hold the complete explanation for what we are. Following from Charles Darwin who came up with the idea of natural selection as a mechanism for our existence the first credible one that didnt use one god, many gods or any other intangible divine apparatus. This didnt go down too well with theologians of the time, notably William Paley who wrote an entire text against it (including a metaphor which provided Dawkins with the title for a book of his own). Paleys metaphor was one comparing a rock to a watch, one being a purposeless lump of raw ore and the other a well-defined, precise piece of machinery capable of performing a function. He held that the distinction between these two is that one

Open w1 Essay

Open w1 Essay Open w1 Essay We use cookies to make sure our websites work effectively and to improve your user experience. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with this. However, you can change your cookie settings at any time. More Info/Change Settings Continue Sign in Skills for OU Study Menu ↓ Skills Check 0 Preparing assignments Don't be daunted by the prospect of your assignment. There is no single correct way of planning how to write your assignment. However there are some common principles and if you work your way through the stages described below you'll be on the right track. Covered in this section Planning an organised approach to the writing process Deciding what to write about Keeping on track and answering the question Managing the writing process Improving further for the next time! 25 mins to complete this section Video (7) Audio (1) Activities (3) Try to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to read the assignment booklet and make sure that you understand the question. It might take longer than you expect to finish your first assignment but, like all study skills, it’ll get easier with practice. Start by think about how much effort you are able to put into writing your assignment. Not all students want to 'ace' every assignment ... sometimes just doing enough is fine. So, first, decide what you want to achieve and what is realistic for you to achieve. Organise a rough schedule for your work over the whole module and book time out for completing assignments. Identify potential contingency plans, find the assignments you could drop or do quickly if you had to. If you have a tutor, discuss together what you're hoping to achieve and what you want out of the module. Read the module assessment guide to find out "This year I was so busy at work, I just had time to do enough to pass the module." 1. what elements are involved in the assessment - for example, assignments, exam, computer-marked assignments 2. what flexibility exists - for example, some modules apply substitution or offer a choice of questions 3. what is required to pass the module - use the assessment calculator, available for most modules, to estimate your overall continuous assessment score at any stage prior to the release of module results, before substitution. If you have any queries, contact your nearest regional or national centre or the Assignment Records Office at Walton Hall. OU student, Michael, describes his initial approach to the task of assignment writing. Sign in to view this video converted by Web2PDFConvert.com OU students Lynn

Summary of a book chapter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Summary of a book chapter - Assignment Example The terrorists undergo various training that are well discussed in this chapter. They include, disguise techniques, clandestine travels, recruitment, communications, handling of weapons- including bombs and explosives, assassination and ambush techniques and even collection of intelligence and counterintelligence methods. Terrorists go to training camps to acquire particular tactics and gain proficiency in a variety of skills. They are taught how to handle and execute terror plans in target states and nations. Such training is usually of a wider array of tactics than that of the counterterrorism police forces. For example, training on Arson and bombs. Terrorist are taught on how to make and use explosives and incendiary bombs. They are provided with guidelines and instructions on how to operate these explosive devices in training camps. Teachings on the incendiary type of weapons give terrorist insights on how to make simple fire bombs using locally available materials such as bottles and inflammable mixture attached to a fuse. In the latter days though, they are taught how to make plastic bombs from plastique that are sophisticated explosives and not readily detectable by most modern airport security. These training camps equip terrorists with assassination and ambush techniques usually how to penetrate through security systems and kill at close range. Methods of clandestine approach, disguise and escape are incorporated with handling and use of handguns fitted with silencers. Such kind of training enabled the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Another training is on how to raise money through extortion and kidnapping for ransom from wealthy families and employers. It is usually a little risk, but high-profit operation. These terrorists are also trained in recruitment, counterintelligence, and communication. Such training gives them proficiency in acquiring intelligence on

Sickle cell disease Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Sickle cell disease - Research Proposal Example Pain treatment among SCD patients reflects not only the access and availability of health care but also prevailing practices and knowledge about the disease, its prognosis and pathology. This paper will determine the various methods employed in nursing interventions for the treatment, control, and reduction of pain among SCD patients in a Kendall Regional Hospital in-patient section from January 2009 to January 2010. It will also determine the immediate effect of employing such methods. By determining these methods and their frequency of use, it will be able to highlight available options for the underserved patients as well as provide an understanding to best practices, knowledge about the control of pain on SCD patients, what, and how or why a certain method is most or least frequently used. -Introduction Sickle cell disease or SCD has been seen as one of the diseases identified with minority groups or those with less access to health care services. ... It is characterized by the failure of the spleen to function optimally even in the first months of birth that usually leads to overwhelming pneumococcal infection, usually at 20% mortality rate for patients under 5 years old (Overturf, 1999). Since access to health care is seen as one of the main problems for SCD patients, it becomes important to identify ways to mitigate its most immediate or important effect on patient which is pain described as chronic, acute or both. Pain management is an important element of care for SCD patients. It is with the related goal to identify pain treatment, control or reduction that this study will proceed. Quality of life is an overarching goal for patients even with those genetic disorders. Pain reduction is usually related to increased patient satisfaction and improved quality of life even in conditions of disease and chronic pain. Chronic pain has been reported by people with SCD even when they now have chances of living a longer life. Use of pai n relieving, controlling and treatment method for patients with SCD is then important for the determination of quality delivery of health care services. Various methods are employed in HMO settings to treat SCD patients in reducing, controlling, and treating pain. These are influenced by the pain assessor, patient access, affordability, availability, knowledge and orientation of administrator, and other factors that may be present during prescription or administration. This research will identify the methods used at Kendall Regional Hospital in-patient section, their frequency of use, what is the most popular method preferred, and determine the immediate effect of employing such methods. -Purpose of the study The purpose of this study is to

Hospitality Mangement - Destination Report - Comprehensive Report Assignment

Hospitality Mangement - Destination Report - Comprehensive Report - Assignment Example Santa Fe is the capital city of Mexico, and doubles up as the oldest capital city in the U.S. it is recognized as a chief tourist destination owing to its climate which supports multiple outdoor activities such as skiing in winter, and hiking in other seasons (â€Å"Santa Fe† n.p.). In addition, it hosts many cultural activities, and has an historic downtown which is also a tourist attraction. There are famous names originating from the region such as Antonio Lopez who is famous for playing a big role in Mexico’s gain of independence, Anna Gunn who is a popular actor on screen and stage, and Jeremy Rau Valdez who is famous for his awards and roles in television and film roles. One challenge to the tourist destination is the standoff between Hispanics and whites, who create tension with their rivalry, thus scare away tourists (Caffey, 13). The peak seasons in Santa Fe are during winter, which is around Christmas when there are much skiing and snow-related activities. The low season is experienced in summer, around March when temperatures can attain 55 degrees. The airfare and hotel rates vary similarly with season; with the rates escalating during high seasons, and being moderate during low seasons. Activities supported in Santa Fe include hiking, biking, mountaineering and skiing. There is much to see as well such as the Canyon Road which hosts most of Mexican heritage and historical sites such as the St. Francis of Assisi Basilica and the Plaza. Nightlife in this destination is mostly marked with music and live performances offered in the restaurants, clubs and bars. People convene and socialize in such places. There are numerous festivals held in Santa Fe such as the International Folk Art Market at Museum Hill, the Santa Fe Film festivals in December, and the Pueblo Winter Feast Days and Dances in January. There are hundreds of food palaces offering

The Creation Of The Italian Stereotype

The Creation Of The Italian Stereotype The Italian mafia has been a prominent them in the media for centuries. The portrayal of mobsters and the mafia in the U.S.s motion picture industry has created a stereotype for Italians that is very well accepted in the American culture. In this paper I will discuss various films and TV that address the topic of the Italian mafia and the way in which these shows depict citizens of Italian origin. More specifically I will try to show how movies such as The Goodfather, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and more recent works such as HBOs hit The Sopranos create a negative stereotype for Italian American man and women, glorifying them by their flashy lifestyles and relations to organized criminal activities. Movies of such sort have reached such popular success because they appeal to the public and, unfortunately, many Italian American citizens embrace these accusations and consider them part of their heritage, thus reinforcing the stereotype made by the movie industry in the eyes of citizens wi th different ethnical backgrounds. Since the very beginning, the Italian mafia, in the eyes of Americans has been a very wide spread cultural phenomena. The origin of the mafia is very hard to investigate and report, many experts have dated its origin back to a time of instability for the Italian nation. The cause of this disturbance was the instable relationship between the northern and southern regions of Italy. Southern Italy was often insulted and considered rural and uncivilized by the wealthier businessman of the North. This unjust treatment caused the southern citizens, especially the Sicilians, to resort to violent gangs for protection of the little land and wealth they owned. As time progressed, and the demand for these bands increased, these rebel groups united into larger, and much more organized, groups that lead to the creation of the mafia. The most famous of these groups, and perhaps the first, originated in Sicily and later became known as Cosa Nosta which many often use the term incorrectly referring it to the Italian mafia overall and not just as one of its sects. These groups prospered and grew on to the Italian people, infiltrating the unstable government after the unification of Italy in 1861. The mafia made its first appearance in the US between the 19th and 20th century, as this cultural phenomenon grew in America, the mafias portrayal in the media grew with it. The media created a name for the mafia in America. The people loved gangster movies, and the film industry capitalized on this assumption. In order to give their work a more realistic feel, directors, would often cast Italians as mobster characters thus building a stereotype of Italian Americans. As time evolved however, the simple stereotype morphed past the simple gangster image; in more recent works, Italian women were also effect; being viewed as old housewives or young bimbos. Men became viewed as lazy and uneducated like in the 1995 movie To Die For. In this example from the Italic Institute of Americas websi te, Nicole Kidmans character tricks three teens into killing her lowbrow Italian husband. The development between the Italian mafia and its presence in popular American culture could have not been possible without the five million Italians who left their home country for hope in a new life and a chance at a new beginning, (Wikipedia). Prior to the rise of the fascist regime to power, America was a prime destination for many Italians during the late 19th century. This expatriation grew exponentially in the early 20th century when it was recorded that over 800,000 Sicilians immigrated to the United States. During this time however, the Italian mafia was under attack by their own government, especially thanks to the works of Cesare Mori who made life impossible for many Mafiosi. Because of the anti mafia war imposed Mussolinis regime in the southern provinces of Italy, many of the members of Cosa Nostra and similar organizations fled to America. The American press immediately attacked this movement publishing headlines such as: The boot unloads its criminals upon the United States. Many of these Sicilians in fact had connections to the mafia but, in the most part, they were regular people just looking for a better life. Italian Mafiosi and regular citizens traveled to America to escape fascism, to escape persecution from criminal charges, and to start over. Many where thrown into a society already filed with criminal gangs. Purchasing fire weapons in the US at that time was a piece of cake. Add these two together and its simple to understand how the Italian mafia succeeded in America. Just as the mafia began to take power in America, the movie industry noticed an opportunity to make some profit as well. Americans became obsessed with the mafian lifestyle; the danger associated with the mafia and their disrespect for the law managed to frighten and keep Americans glued to their TV screen at the same time. Films like Little Cesar(1931), Public Enemy(1931), and Scarface(1932) were the very beginning to a brand new genre of films. As author George De Stefano points out in his book An Offer We Cant Refuse, the Italian mobster seemed to bring a different image to the mobster lifestyle, [however], and this image of a more powerful, organized criminal system caught the public eye and has stuck every since., (De Stefano 70-94). Some of the early movies of this genre were produced during the silent motion picture time period. Producers however, did not have a hard time looking for a plot that would capture their audience; they just used whatever the print gave them. The ear liest account of a gangster film that exists is the film The Black Hand (1906). The Black Hand was a silent movie which story line pictured Italian Americans using kidnapping and extortion to gain money, known as il pizzo, from a butcher they were protecting. The movie shows the Italian protagonists were not only shown as violent, but the Italian Americans in the film are shown to speak little to no English and drinking wine as if it were water. It was not until the 1930s with the release of Little Cesar and Scarface that the stereotype was created and linked Italian Americans with the gangster image. With the introduction of these films one can clearly see that with the changing image of the gangster, the American ______ towards Italian Americans was changing as well. These new characters were no longer drunk illiterates, these Italians dressed in fancy suits, spoke better English; in a sense, they were following the American dream. Still violent and reckless. Organizations favoring the destruction of this stereotype took the subject to heart and managed to abolish violence and crime in movies. However in 1968, the Production Code was dropped and replaced by the same MPAA system still out there today. Only four years after this change, came the first of a trilogy that would change the image of Italian Americans forever. The Godfather (1972), based on Mario Puzos novel was the hit success of the great American director Ford Francis Coppola. His work was such a success for the public that it won three Oscar nominations out of the ten categories it was voted for. The American people were literally obsessed with the violent, vulgar and classic gangster films. Francis Ford Coppola in an interview with author Peter Bondonella explained his clear reasons for pursuing this movie: I always wanted to use the Mafia as a metaphor for America. If you loo at the film, you see that its focused that way. The first line is I believe in America. I feel that the mafia is an incredible metaphor for this country. Both are totally capitalistic phenomena and basically have a profit motive, (Bondonella 239). Many critics argue, with merit, that The Godfather was the first film that really started the stereotype of Italian Americans. The film established a permanent connection in the minds of Americans between the mafia and Italian Americans. De Stefano describes his own experience after the release of the film: strangers would ask me if I knew the godfather whenever they red my last name. It was this film that reallycemented the stereotype into American culture., (De Stefano 105-106). Predictably enough, after the tremendous success of The Godfather, many more films, as long as commercial products, relating to its theme followed. Today The Godfather, both the films and the novel, continue to sell as if they were new releases, and the films can still be seen, by popular demand, on ordinary television. Martin Scorseses Goodfellas (1990), showed the mafia in New York in an extremely realistic way. Based on the life of real mobster Henry Hill, it shows the process of going from a nonentity to a success in the mafia organization. The film depicts brutal murder scenes, vulgar language, and vile treatment of women. However, a particularly different element is that it also shows the consequences of being too wrapped up in the mafia life and what it is like to become the rat. This film showed a much less glorified portrayal of the mafia, and yet, it appealed greatly to society. The most recent of Hollywoods award winning creation evoking the mafia is HBOs hit series The Sopranos first airing in 1999. The show takes great inspiration from Scorseses work and Coppolas masterpiece, characters in the show are often viewed idolizing Mafiosi from these directors respective films, reciting lines, copying stunts, and even comparing themselves. This idolization showed that Italian Americans not onl y identify themselves with these gangsters but also look up to them. Tony Soprano, the protagonist of the show, is of Italian American descent and part of the mafia. Besides his connection to the gangster life, he lives in a typical residential neighborhood for the average white American male, he is a family man just like everyone else. In the book Tony Sopranos America, David Simon, states that the viewer is always reminded that the one thing that stands Tony Soprano apart from the rest of society is that he is mobster. The [TV] series successfully brought the mafia to the 21st Century, renewed the use of mafia as a household word, and took one step further in fusing the image of Italians and Italian Americans. The media has led to this stereotypical image of Italian immigrants as gangsters. This stereotype is still very much alive today. However, it is noticeable that there does not seem to be as much controversial propaganda to the use of this negative connotation against Italian Americans as stereotypical use against other ethnic groups. Going back to the stereotype against Italian American women, these movies depicted the mafia wives as enabling and looking the other way in their husbands business affair. The mother in The Godfather plays the role of the housewife. Carmela Corleone never reacts to the actions of her husband and sons, always turning a blind eye. She is shown caring for her grandchildren and providing the family with a traditional Italian meal. She is essentially the stereotypical enabling Italian mother and wife in the mafia family. On the contrary, the character Kay in The Godfather is a complete juxtaposition to the character of Carmela. For a while, she acts just like Carmela, enabling her husband activities, but eventually she can no longer accept her husband as a cold blooded killer, as Michael Corleones sister, Connie, calls him after he murders her own husband. Kay represents the American wife who marries into an Italian family not knowing what she is about to face. She is victimized. This way , the audience, feels bad for her, torn between her love for her husband and her morals that can no longer tolerate the criminal activities of the family. The third major feminine character, Connie Corleone, is a completely different character. She is the stereotypical Italian relative that cannot escape the horrors of her own family. She starts out as a princess to her father, the godfather himself. After her brother, Michael, kills her husband she goes through a brief grieving period distancing her family from her family only to realize that she cannot escape her destiny. She eventually becomes an enabler of the behavior of the rest of the family and takes on the role of the matriarch. Just like her, Karen Hill, also plays the enabler who puts up with her husband, Henry Hills pursuit as a Mafioso in Goodfellas. One scene in particular comes to mind that depicts her as the typical mob wife. In a scene she narrates herself, Karen attends a party with the other mob wives during a drug scene, she tells the audience that all the women look beat up; in fact, they do: all wear too much makeup and overdone hair. Throughout the party, these mistreated wives, discuss the horrible tribulations of being married to a mobster as if it were typical housewife gossip. Most of the women in these movies are unemployed house makers who take the events as part of the package of marrying a mob.The show The Sopranos isnt the only example of the stereotype of Italian American being represented in more recent TV production. Characters like Arthur the Fonz Fonzarelli from Happy Days, Tony the taxi driver of Taxi, and Joey the all around dimwit of Friends all represent demeaning images of It alian Americans. All appear to be uneducated womanizers, and yet most may not even realize they are stereotypes of the Italian American male. These examples show that, sadly, our culture still finds humor in stereotyping ethnical groups. In 2002, The Italic institute of America conducted a study to analyze the movie industry and its relation to Italian-American based movies and the post Godfather movie industry. Their studies showed that out of the 1233 movies made about Italian Americans, 69% of them present Italian-American characters under a negative light, against 31% that show Italian-Americans as good human beings. Moreover, out of the movies made since the sound era that deal with mob characters, 88% were revolved around fictional characters, 293 of which came out after the Godfather. The Godfather is and will always remain the most important tie between Hollywood and the Italian-American stereotype.There is much research out there that show that the Italian immigration to the US didnt only bring so called Mafiosi but also great people who beneficially influenced the United States politically and economically. This research, however, does not eliminate the fact the entertainment industry will continue to pursu e the stereotype. As for the mafia, this means that it will only continue to be a part of Americas favorite entertainment as long as the culture of violence persists.

Importance of Social Status in Emma and Clueless :: Austen Emma Essays

Importance of Social Status in Emma and Clueless Emma Woodhouse of the Jane Austen novel Emma, is part of the rich, upscale society of a well off village in nineteenth century England, while Cher Horowitz the main character of the movie version Clueless, lives in the upscale Beverly Hills of California. The Woodhouse family is very highly looked upon in Highbury, and Cher and her father are also viewed as the cultural elite. The abuse of power and wealth, arrogance, and a lack of acceptance all prove that the class status of these families plays a significant role in the shaping of both the novel and the video. Emma and Cher both abuse the power of wealth and become spoiled, socially dominating, and overly confident with themselves. However, they both feel very comfortable in this lifestyle because of their possessions and social status. Jane Austen secures Emma in the very first paragraph of her novel. She states, "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to vex her" (Austen 1). Cher has everything a teenager could possibly want: her own jeep, an endless wardrobe, and amounts of money that seems to be collected from a money tree outside the backdoor. Emma's arrogance shines through when she brags that she is exceptionally skillful at matching couples. She believes that she is in control of fate and must play matchmaker in order for couples to discover their true love. Austen confirms, "The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself" (Austen 1). Although Emma is so spoiled and overbearing, she truly doesn't realize this fact. Likewise, an example of Cher's pompousness can be seen in the scene where she and Dionne are explaining to Tai how to become more popular. Cher states that she has already started to elevate her social status "due to the fact that you hang out with Dionne and I" (Clueless). Cher may be sympathetic to Tai, but she does so with conceitedness because she knows she is from a higher social class.