Evolution and Human Beings Essay Example for Free

Evolution and Human Beings Essay Allama Muhammad Iqbal is one of the most outstanding poet-philosophers of the Indian sub-continent belonging to the modern period. His intellectual genius has reigned supreme in the arena of Islamic philosophy during the twentieth century and is likely to direct and influence the Islamic Intellectual tradition in the twenty first century as well. His sublime poetry and philosophy inspired millions of Muslims to wake up to the reality of the times and forge a destiny for themselves. Iqbal explained evolution on the basis of his religious knowledge as well as his experiences in the western society. One of the facets of Iqbal’s genius is the fluidity with which he displays his in-depth knowledge and critical analysis of both Islamic and Western philosophies, theories and concepts. He compared the Quranic concepts of evolution with the western ones. Then, he gave his own concept of evolution. Allama Iqbal’s Concepts of Evolution: Allama Iqbal is against the concept of a fixed and static universe. He consistently upholds that existence reveals itself in constant change. If there is anything which is constant, it is the change itself. According to him, God‘s creative activity is ever-continuing and He is constantly sustaining this universe. God is not only the cause but also the reason of the universe. He believed that the Ultimate Ego was Allah, who, though transcendent in His essence, was intimately connected to human beings through His amr. For Iqbal amr stood for the creative power and will of God. He gave the concept of ‘egos’. At the lowest level egos are unconscious, in the higher order of being, they become conscious. Egos achieve utmost consciousness and finally become self-consciousness in human beings, the highest being in nature and the vicegerent of God. Man is the only being awarded with moral freedom and responsibility. Using his freedom of choice with responsibility, humans approach closer and closer the excellence that is divine. Being conscious of one’s real self i.e self realization is the goal of moral actions. Self, according to him, is of two kinds. The efficient self which actually operates and has dealings with others in spatio-temporal world. The appreciative self which is the real ‘I-amness’ and is divine in nature. It is the self which has to be recognized to have a new and different perspective about the world. The process of evolution and self-realization is not aimless. Iqbal believes that it is purely purposive in nature. However, there is no pre-determined single purpose towards which evolution moves. Rather, fresh goals ever continue to be created during the evolutionary course. Obedience, self-discipline and vicegernce of God are three degrees of development of self in man by passing through which he attain the ideal of a perfect manhood. Analysis: This theory explains evolution in a very unique way. Being a muslim, i find no fault in this theory as it explains everything very clearly and its evidence can also be found in the Quranic verses. The way he has explained everything in the islamic context makes it very difficult to contradict with this theory. Following is the elaboration and analysis of this evolutionary theory on the basis of Iqbal’s explanation, in my own words. Concept of Change: As he was of the opinion that the universe is not static, this is true. We can also find it in the verses of Surah Yaseen. God has talked about the way sun, moon, stars and all the planets keep moving all day and night long. Physicists have also proved that things which appear to be solid and motionless are also in constant state of motion. Their particles also vibrate in a specific manner but we can not sense or feel it. Evolution itself is a process which denotes change. There are hundreds and millions of processes which are occurring in the universe in a continuous manner. So, Iqbal’s idea of an ever-changing universe is true. Concept of Evolution: His answer to the question â€Å"how did man first emerge?† is â€Å"he arose through evolution.† For this purpose, we can quote the following verses of Quran: â€Å"Does not man bear in mind that we made him at first when he was naught?† (19:67) â€Å"Yet we are not thereby hindered from replacing you with others your likes or from producing you in a form which ye knew not! Ye have known the first creation, will you not reflect† (56:60-62). He explained his answer on the basis of above mentioned verses. Iqbal claims that, â€Å"this suggestive argument embodied in the last verses of the two passages quoted above did in fact open a new vista to Muslim philosophers. It was Jahiz who first hinted at the changes in animal life covered migrations and environment generally. The association known as the ‘Brethren Of Purity’ further amplified the views of Jahiz Ibu Miskawaih, however, was the first Muslim thinker to give a clear and in many respects thoroughly modern theory of the origin of man.† In this context, we can say that Darwin said nothing new as the concept of evolution was already present in Islam from the very beginning. Tawheed: Iqbal is not in the favour of deism according to which God became uninterested in this universe after creating it and now it is operating on its own. This is not possible and in accordance with the rules of nature. God is continuously in contact with the universe and is governing every bit and part of it. Being a muslim he added the concept of Tawheed, oneness of God in the theory of evolution. He believed that the concept of tawhÃŒ £iÌ„d contained within it the unity of the spirit and matter, body and soul, the individual and society. The Ego (Khudi): According to this theory of creative evolution, the Ultimate Ego manifests itself, from the lowest forms of matter to the highest evolutionary form i.e. the spiritually most advanced human personality. God is the supreme ego from which only egos are produced. In Iqbal’s words, â€Å"Indeed the evolution of life shows that, though in the beginning the mental is dominated by the physical, the mental as it grows in power, tends to dominate the physical and may eventually rise to a position of complete independence.† What Iqbal means by this is that the process of creative evolution involves a gradual growth of the human individuality or ego (khudi). Iqbal used the word khudiÌ„ to denote the ego, the individuality of a person or the self. He described khudi as follows:- â€Å"Metaphysically the word khudiÌ„ (self-hood) is used in the sense of that indescribable feeling of ‘I’ which forms the basis of the uniqueness of each individual. Ethically the word khudiÌ„ means (as used by me) self-reliance, self-respect, self-confidence, self-preservation, self-assertion when such a thing is necessary, in the interest of life and power to stick to the cause of truth, justice, duty etc. even in the face of death. Such behaviour is moral in my opinion because it helps in the integration of the forces of the Ego, thus hardening it, as against the forces of disintegration and dissolution, practically the metaphysical ego is the bearer of two main rights that is the right to life and freedom as determined by Divine Law.† Iqbal believed in the gradual rising note of khudi or self-hood in the universe through the process of creative evolution till it reaches its highest potential in human beings. The universe according to Iqbal is the spatio-temporal order, where egos of varying levels dwell, interact and take part in the process of continuous change and continuous evolution. Iqbal’s concept of heaven and hell is d eeply connected to his concept of khudi. Hell is basically a disintegration and dissolution of the self or ego whereas heaven is a state where the personality has reached a heightened sense of self-awareness, self-consciousness and distinction. Hell is nothingness, an annihilation of the self. Heaven is the opposite of nothingness. It is to be real, an important, integral part of the Greater Reality. Iqbal quotes the Quran to support his concept of Khudi, the creative will and power inherent in human beings:- â€Å"And they ask thee of the soul. Say: the soul proceedeth from my Lord’s amr (Creative Will and Power) but of knowledge only a little is given to you.† (17:85) It is this nature of the soul that makes human beings distinct and the chosen ones from the rest of creation. Iqbal translates and interprets the word amr as the ‘Directive, Creative Will and Power of God.’ He believes that human beings can share in the creative activity of God by using their own God given creative will and power. Iqbal is an advocate of the freedom of the human personality. He quotes the Qur’an to substantiate his views: By the soul and He who has balanced it, and has shown to it the ways of wickedness and piety, blessed is he who has made it grow and undone is he who has corrupted it. (91:7-10) The ego grows from a position of hardly having any freedom from natural laws and natural appetites, to the position where the ego, through the use of its creative will and power, becomes more and more powerful, free, dynamic and independent. Iqbal says, â€Å"The ‘unceasing reward’ of man consists in his gradual growth in self-possession, in uniqueness, and intensity of his activity as an ego.† He says, â€Å"The fact that the higher emerges out of the lower does not rob the higher of its worth and dignity. It is not the origin of a thing that matters, it is the capacity, the significance, and the final reach of he emergent that matters†¦. It by no means follows that the emergent can be resolved into what has conditioned its birth and growth.† In fact the ideal of the evolutionary growth of the human personality is presented by Iqbal through the words of the Quran referring to the Prophet’s (PBUH) vision of the Ultimate Ego i.e. Allah at the nocturnal journey called the mi‘raaj: ‘His eye turned not aside, nor did it wander’ (Quran 53:17) When Prophet Moses came into contact with God’s Light, he could not sustain the impact. He lost consciousness due to the overwhelming effect of, in Iqbal’s words, the Ultimate Ego. But the emergence of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave perfection to human personality or ego in the evolutionary scale. Love or Ishq: Iqbal believed that behind the process of evolution is the vital impulse of ‘ishq’ or love which is metaphysical in nature and which makes life grow towards higher evolutionary goals. Goal of Evolution: Unlike Bergson, Iqbal believed that evolution has a goal. In fact, the evolution or dissolution of life is dependent on how far the individual chooses to use his or her creative will and power. The perfect man of Iqbal’s conception is mujahid who is ready and willing to face the problems of life, culture and society as he is to face the problems of after-life, spiritual welfare and death. The theory of ‘creative evolution’ as envisaged by Iqbal harnesses human creative potential under the spiritual discipline of religion as the instrument with which human beings become co-workers with God, effecting the destiny of the universe. In my point of view, it is a very comprehensive theory and I totally support it. I would like to end this debate in Iqbal’s words. In the Javid Nama God addresses human beings in this stirring call: Life is both mortal and immortal, it is all creativity and eagerness Art thou alive? Be eager, be creative Like us encompass the whole universe! Shatter into pieces what is uncongenial. Bring forth another world out of thy imagination! It is irksome to the man who is free, to live in a world of another’s making. He who lacks the power of creation is naught to us but an atheist and an agnostic! He has not taken his share of our Beauty. He has not eaten the fruit of the tree of life. Man of truth! Be sharp and incisive like the sword and forge the destiny of they own world!

OSHA Considerations for Reducing PELs for Crystalline Silica

OSHA Considerations for Reducing PELs for Crystalline Silica OSHA considerations for reducing PELs for crystalline silica Presented by: Sepideh Sadeghi Introduction Crystalline silica is known as an important constituent in some construction materials like stone, sand, concrete, and granite (1, 2). It comes from different industrial activities such as agriculture, sandblasting, mining, foundry, construction, oil and gas extraction, and hydraulic fracturing (3). Crystalline silica is present in the form of Quartz, Cristobalite and tridymite and all of them are known as a source of exposure in the work places (1, 2). Exposure to crystalline silica can cause silicosis, and a progressive fibrosis of the lungs (2). The National Toxicology Program (NTP) and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have found two forms of quartz and cristobalite carcinogenic (4, 5). There is a possible mechanism that denotes how this material causes lung disease; when active oxygen species (AOS) is generated by chemicals reactions, it can interact with DNA, proteins, and lipids in macromolecules, then mutation in DNA can initiate the process of cancer or DNA damage (6). The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica (RCS) which is adopted by OSHA is, (RCS): PEL = (10 mg/m3)/ (%silica+2) which restricts both the exposure to RCS and respirable dust (7). The PEL has not updated since the agency was established in 1971. There are many techniques to identify and quantify crystalline silica such as X-ray diffraction methods, Infrared methods, optical and electron microscopy techniques, chemical and thermal analysis. However, some of these techniques have some limitations in their process (8). The purpose of this study is reviewing the OSHA considerations for reducing PELs for crystalline silica. Background Based on the researches done to identify the reason of workers’ illnesses in Vermont granite occurred in 1940 the OSHA proposed the current PEL in 1971(7). The most common symptoms among the workers in Vermont granite were shortness of breath, dry cough, and reduced pulmonary function (9). Then, a recommended exposure limit (REL) of 0.05 mg/m3 for RCS was proposed by NIOSH in 1974 (7, 10) In 1989, NIOSH testified to OSHA that silica should be considered a â€Å"potential occupational carcinogen.† And IARC attested to classify crystalline silica as a carcinogen (7, 11). As a result, the ACGIH accepted to list the silica as an â€Å"A2 Suspected Human carcinogen† In 1999, and, in 2000, adopted a TLV of 50 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 for RCS. In 2006, additional evidences indicated the relation between lung cancer and the inflammation caused by silica, and it led the ACGIH to reduce the TLV to 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 (9, 12). Results and discussion The detrimental effects of silica on the workers’ health such as lung cancer, kidney diseases and sometimes death necessitated OSHA proposing a new PEL for respirable crystalline silica of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3 (9). The investigations conducted in the industries showed that workers were at the risk of illnesses and death below the current PELs (9). The following paragraphs address the OSHA considerations for reducing the PEL for crystalline silica. Possibility of Sampling and Analytical Methods The possibility of sampling and analytical methods is between the several limitations that can affect the OSHA decision to reduce the silica PELs. There are some available and accurate personal sampling cyclones like SKC G-3, Higgens-Dowel, Dorr-Oliver, and BGI GK 2.69 which were examined by OSHA for collecting the respirable crystalline silica. According to OSHA, all of these devices are able to collect the silica as low as 25 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 which is needed for the OSHA analytical method of ID-142 (9). Regarding analytical methods to measure silica, two factors of sensitivity and accuracy are investigated by OSHA. The first method that OSHA concludes it has a reasonable sensitivity for measuring the silica was the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). However, the poor inter-laboratory results indicated that the mentioned methods are lack of precision. The XRD method of ID-142 presents the precision of  ±23 for the crystalline silica of 50 to 160 ÃŽ ¼g and  ±19 percent for the sampling and analytical error. Therefore, the OSHA could not rely on such colorimetric methods to measure the low amount of silica. Finally, OSHA’s analysis found the laboratories good agreement for the samples in the range of 49-70 ÃŽ ¼g. Therefore, OSHA believes that a PEL of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3 is more appropriate in the workplaces (9). Possibility of Control Technologies According to possibility of control technologies the OSHA has conducted an analysis for both of general industry sectors and construction industry activities that are potentially affected by the proposed silica standard. 3.2.1. Possibility Findings for the Proposed Permissible Exposure Limit of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3 According to the results of findings, OSHA assumed that the proposed PEL of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3 is appropriate for all affected general industries as well as construction activities (9). Thus, OSHA discerned that the PEL of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3 will be sufficient to maintain in engineering and work practices. And for those few activities within an industry where the proposed PEL is not technologically achievable the workers can achieve the exposure levels at or below the proposed PEL by wearing the protective equipments such as respirators (9). 3.2.2 Feasibility Findings for an Alternative Permissible Exposure Limit of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 Regarding to the results of possibility analysis, OSHA concludes that a proposed PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 would not be achievable for many industries, and using respiratory protection would have to be required in most operations to achieve compliance. However, there are several industries that have achieved an alternative PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 such as asphalt paving products, dental laboratories, mineral processing, and paint and coatings manufacturing in general industry, and drywall finishers and heavy equipment operators in construction industry. In these industries, small amounts of silica containing materials cause to have low concentrations of airborne respirable silica (9). The ferrous foundry industry would not be able to agree with the PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 without using the respirators. In the ferrous foundry industry silica is used and recycled to create castings and there is a big amount of silica dust during the process of recycling. Also, the high level silica dust is generated during the shakeout process. The engineering controls determine the exposures below 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3, but the exposure above 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 still occur. Therefore, the engineering controls in place, reported the exposure range of 13 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 53 ÃŽ ¼g/m3, with many of the reported exposures above 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3(9). The construction industry is similar to the ferrous industry with regarding the generation of dust. Thus, the engineering controls cannot comply to maintain exposures at or below the alternative PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3. 3.3. Cost of compliance In this section the detailed assessment of the costs to establishments in all affected industry sectors was provided for supporting of the proposed silica rule of reducing worker exposures to silica to an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3.Table 1 describes the annualized costs of the proposed rule by cost category for general industry, maritime, and construction. The cost is including the engineering controls, respirators, exposure assessment, medical issue, training and regulating areas or access control. Table 1. Annualized Compliance Costs for Employers in General Industry, Maritime, and Construction Affected by OSHA’s Proposed Silica Standard (2009 dollars) (13) Table 1 depicts the total annualized costs of the proposed rule, $132.5 million by general industry, $14.2 million by maritime, and $511.2 million by construction. So, considering the economic feasibility, OSHA standards are economically feasible so long as their costs do not threaten the existence of, or cause massive economic dislocations within, a particular industry or alter the competitive structure of that industry. For example, firms that want to have a profitable line of business may have to increase prices to stay viable. Increases in prices typically result in reduced quantity demanded, but rarely eliminate all demand for the product. This decrease in the total production of goods and services results in smaller output for each establishment within the industry or the closure of some plants within the industry, or a combination of the two, is dependent on the cost and profit structure of individual firms within the industry. So, the economic matter is the controversial subj ect to discuss and there are always some contradictions in companies to accept the cost of new proposed PELs. Conclusion The limitations in the characterization of the precision of the analytical method preclude the Agency from proposing a PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3. First, the measurement error increases by about 4 to 5 percent for a full-shift sample taken at 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 compared to one taken at 50ÃŽ ¼g/m3, and the error would be expected to increase further as filter loads approach the limit of detection. Second, for an employer to be virtually certain that an exposure to quartz did not exceed 25 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 as an exposure limit, the exposure would have to be below 21 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 given the error of  ±16 percent calculated from the OSHAs Salt Lake Technical Center (SLTC) study. Based on the information presented in the technological feasibility analysis, the Agency believes that 50 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 is the lowest feasible PEL. An alternative PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 would not be feasible because the engineering and work practice controls identified to date will not be sufficient to consistently reduce exposures to levels below 25 ÃŽ ¼g/m3 in most operations most of the time. OSHA believes that an alternative PEL of 25ÃŽ ¼g/m3 would not be feasible for many industries, and that the use of respiratory protection would be necessary in most operations most of the time to achieve compliance. Additionally, the monetary matter is the controversial subject that raises many contradictions in firms to accept the new proposed PELs by OSHA. References 1. Beaudry C., Lavouà © J., Sauvà © J-F., Bà ©gin D., Senhaji Rhazi M., Perrault G., Dion C., Gà ©rin M., (2012), Occupational Exposure to Silica in Construction Workers: A Literature-Based Exposure Database, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 10: 71–77. 2. www.osha.gov/Occupational Health/Projects/Crystalline Silica Exposure.htm 3. Esswein E. J., Breitenstein M., Snawder J., Kiefer, M., Sieber WK., (2013), Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica During Hydraulic Fracturing, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 10: 347-356. 4. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), (2012), A Review of Human Carcinogens. Part C: Arsenic, Metals, Fibres, and Dusts. Lyon, France: IARC. 5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Public Health Service (PHS), and the National Toxicology Program (NTP), (2011), Silica, Crystalline (Respirable Size). In Report on Carcinogens. Research Triangle Park, N.C.: DHHS, PHS, NTP, 377–379. 6. Mossman B. T., Jimenez L.A. , Bà ©rubà © K., Quinlan T., Janssen Y.M.W.,( 2011), Possible Mechanisms of Crystalline Silica-Induced Lung Disease, Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 10:1115-1117. 7. Hewett P., Morey S.Z., Holen B. M., Logan P. W., Olsen G. W., (2012), Cohort Mortality Study of Roofing Granule Mine and Mill Workers. Part I: Estimation of Historical Crystalline Silica Exposures, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 9: 199-210. 8. Miles W. J., (2010), Issues and Controversy: The Measurement of Crystalline Silica; Review Papers on Analytical Methods , American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 60:396–402. 9. www.osha.gov/silica/nprm.pdf. 10. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), (1974), NIOSH Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica. HEW (NIOSH) Pub. No.75–120. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, NIOSH. 11. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), (1997), Silica, Some Silicates, Coal Dust and Para-aramid Fibrils. IARC Monographs, Vol. 68. Lyon, France: IARC. 12. ACGIH, (2006), Silica, Crystalline: ÃŽ ±-Quartz and Cristobalite. Chemical Substances, 7th Edition Documentation. Cincinnati, Ohio: ACGIH. 13. U.S. Dept. of Labor, OSHA, Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Office of Regulatory Analysis, based on ERG (2007and 2013).

Dead Poets Society And Dangerous Minds Comparison Film Studies Essay

Dead Poets Society And Dangerous Minds Comparison Film Studies Essay The soundtrack of Dead Poets Society is a synchronous one of bagpipes being played during the procession, synchronous is a term used to describe a sound caused by some event on screen and which matches the action. This particular soundtrack relates particularly well to the visual track mainly because of it being synchronous, but also because bagpipes represent tradition a big theme throughout the film. I agree with this choice made by the director for using bagpipes as the soundtrack as it fits in nicely with the conformity being placed on the students by the school. On the other hand, the soundtrack used in Dangerous Minds is non synchronous, (sound which is recorded separately from the visuals then added later). The soundtrack is also a sound bridge the music continues through shots adding to the continuity. The use of the song: Gangsters Paradise, relates to the theme of gangs within the area and life on the streets. I also agree with the choice made by the director the song reflects themes which appear later in the film. A matched cut type of editing is used in the opening sequences of Dead Poets Society; this is where a familiar relationship between the shots may make the changes seem smooth. This type of editing is used to show continuity and no change in time between shots giving the viewer all the small details. This editing is effective and continues as the characters enter a new scene, the chapel. Again, Dangerous Minds adopts a different approach by using a jump cut editing technique this is an abrupt switch from one scene to another indicating discontinuity. I believe this is used to show the extent of disrespect for public property as seen by destruction and vandalism. This editing also shows sections of interactions between characters which gives the viewer an idea of who they really are. Now, on to the choices relating to colour and lighting starting with Dead Poets Society. A lot of light is used in its opening sequences, all the characters faces are sufficiently lit up. Light is also a form of iconography with the Light of Knowledge in the form of a candle which also provides light to the large chapel. Lighting can manipulate a viewers attitude towards a character, this happened to me when light was shining up from beneath Mr Nolans face, giving the impression of a stern character and a severe enforcer of rules. The colours are also light; oranges, yellows and red which represent a warm environment (for the time being). Dangerous Minds shows a different aspect of how colour can be used effectively in an opening sequence. The first thing the viewer notices is that the visuals are in black and white only this creates an interest in the viewer as it is unexpected and they therefore pay more attention. The misà ¨-en-scà ¨ne is dark regardless of the black and white colour and there are shadows moving through some of the shots hinting at mysterious lifestyles. The colour changes from black and white to colour as the characters move into the higher class areas on their way to school, this shows the significance school has and still will have on them. The establishing shot in Dead Poets Society is of a wall painted with old pupils, the American flag and the English flag, another example of an old school remembering its roots and traditions a prominent theme throughout the rest of the film. There is a close up two-shot capturing the emotions of the two boys having their photo taken. A close up shot of bagpipes being set up reinforces the theme of tradition and tracking as the procession enters the chapel draws the viewer into the film. The establishing shot of Dangerous Minds is of a neglected building with graffiti on it saying, We love you baby! the camera then pans across the room showing even more graffiti. The camera angles focus more on the surrounding of the characters rather than the characters themselves, emphasising the huge impact of where people come from has on their lives. The first theme introduced in Dead Poets Society is that of tradition. This is seen from the establishing shot of the wall showing the history of the school; it is achieved through the misà ¨-en-scà ¨ne and iconography by showing the bagpipes and them being played by a student. The Light of Knowledge is also a form of iconography and it represents the theme of the high-class school, where students are expected to achieve good results. The other form of iconography is the banners the four boys hold during the procession, the themes are printed on them: discipline, excellence, honour and tradition. The obvious theme in Dangerous Minds is one of disrespect as seen by the high concentration of graffiti on the buildings; this is seen through the misà ¨-en-scà ¨ne. A form of iconography which introduces a theme is the broken stop sign, this shows a complete disregard for rules as initially seen by the extremely raucous class Ms Johnson is appointed to teach. To conclude, both films use different techniques to try and convey their particular messages in the opening sequences. However, I believe that through intricate misà ¨-en-scà ¨ne, good use of iconography, camera angles, soundtrack, lighting and editing; Dead Poets Society stands out as the more convincing of the two films in conveying their message. (979 words)

Construction of Desire in Sapphic Poetry Essay -- Sappho Poem Poet Ess

Construction of Desire in Sapphic Poetry Many scholars in the past, looking at Sappho through the eyes of male experience, have heaped lukewarm praise on Sappho’s "chaste" poems, have translated them with an unyielding heterosexual bent. However, when read through a woman's experience, when read through people who do not wish to hide Sappho's desire for other women or hetero-sexualize it, Sappho's writing takes on a new light, and we can begin to piece together her desire and its contexts. In the work of Sappho, the goddess Aphrodite is frequently given homage, making her a kind of patron (a matron perhaps?) of lesbian desire. Sappho constructs her desire with three distinct components: a visual component, a physical component, and a repetition and renewal component. She also modified traditional mythological viewpoints to enhance the image of her view of desire. Through this woman-centered interpretation of Sappho, I want to place emphasis on Sappho's lesbian identity and reconstruct the desire that she felt towards other women. Sappho frequently gives poetical space to Aphrodite, the goddess of Love and Desire. In fragment 2, Sappho creates this space by inviting Aphrodite in. "... to this sacred/temple, where you have a pretty grove/of apple trees, and alters smoking with incense/here icy water echoes through the apple/boughs, shadows of roses cover/the ground, from shimmering leaves/a heavy sleep descends." Author Jane Snyder, in her own translation of Sappho's works, remarks that "lesbian desire, as Sappho envisions it, blossoms in a nurturing space under the benevolent patronage of the Cyprian goddess [Aphrodite] herself." Snyder also states that "Sappho fragment 2 creates a private 'female' space in the descripti... ...helming force that resembles a wind with the force of a tornado, which completely overpowers the body. Sappho's view of lesbian is very unique and unmatched, for indeed we have very little else that gives us the language of desire between two women in the ancient world. Under Aphrodite's homage, with components of visual, physical, and repetitious components, and with her unique view on traditional narratives, Sappho gives us her view of desire between two women. I hope that my woman-centered reading of Sappho helped reconstruct her lesbian identity and conceptualize her desire and passion for other women. Works Cited Bing, Peter and Rip Cohen. Games of Venus: An Anthology of Greek and Roman Erotic Verse from Sappho to Ovid. London: Routledge, 1991. Snyder, Jane McIntosh. Lesbian Desire in the Lyrics of Sappho. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997.

Equal Opportunities for Disabled Americans :: Research Papers

Equal Opportunities for Disabled Americans Life for the disabled can be difficult physically, emotionally, and financially. Donley Jones talked about his hardships as a disabled American worker in a personal interview on November 25, 2004. However, there have been several legislative changes in the United States, which have put forth the opportunities that many poverty and lower level families have needed to move to higher grounds financially. Cleaver states that there have been many laws and acts put forth by congress to make this move easier for disabled Americans. Donley, a 37 year old janitor at the Johnson City Mall, is legally blind. Donley talks of the prejudices that left him and his family in poverty. He talks of his struggle to provide for his family and how hard it was to get out of poverty. Donley remembers not knowing how he would ever be able to provide opportunities for his children, such as putting them through college, with his income. Donley tells of how he believes the government had a lot to do with his ab ility to move his family out of poverty. The Disabilities Discrimination act of 1995 came into effect on December 2, 1996 (Lockwood 1). Lockwood tells of how this act provided equal opportunities in the work force for disabled Americans . The Act states that to be covered under the act, a person must have a physical or mental impairment, such as but not limited to loss of eyesight, which lasts at least one year (Lockwood 2). Lockwood’s article also states that the impairment must burden daily activities or put the person in risks of danger The law states that the employer may be required to make certain adjustments for disabled people to be employed. Lockwood stresses how important it is for employers not to discriminate against disabled workers. The employer will be committing discrimination, says Lock wood, if he or she refuses to hire treats a disabled person different than the way he or she would treat a person with out a disability. Section 6 of the Act states that an employer must make necessary changes to the work place (Lockwood 2). According to Lockwood these changes must make give disabled employees the same advantages they would have if they were not disabled. If a person feels they are being discriminated against they can file a lawsuit (Lockwood 5). Lockwood tells of several of the lawsuits have been filed since the act since the act took effect.

Yes to Guns! No to Gun Control!

Yes to guns! No to gun control! Banning Guns Cannot Prevent School Shootings! Imagine yourself at the scene of the Virginia Tech shooting. You hide under the desk that you were sitting at peacefully just moments ago. Gun shots ring though the air as you sit curled up on the cold floor, wondering who the next victim of the evil rampage will be. Don’t you wish you could have had a gun in this moment? Don’t you wish you had a way to defend yourself against the murderer? Because we cannot go back in time, we cannot know how differently the Virginia Tech shooting could have turned out if one of the victims had possessed a gun.We can, however, analyze this and other school shootings to see how they could have been different. Thirty-one states currently have laws allowing concealed handguns for adults with no criminal record or history of mental disorders. The cause of concealed-carry has grown over the past decade or two. More and more people are realizing how much of a posit ive difference allowing guns can really make. Banning guns on campuses doesn’t protect students. Rather, the policy only endangers those who are ethical enough to follow the law.Outlaws are the only ones who will have guns if guns are outlawed. This means that criminals will have guns, and law-abiding civilians will not. Students and teachers should be allowed to carry concealed handguns on college campuses. In 1997 in Pearl Mississippi, a shooter was stopped by an assistant principal who had retrieved a gun from his car. Because he was not allowed to bring his gun into the school, the assistant principal could not stop the shooting earlier. If he would have been allowed to bring his gun into the school, the lives of the shot students could have been saved.In Edinboro, Pennsylvania, in 1998, a passerby stopped a shooter who was reloading his gun by pointing a shotgun at him until the police arrived. If it were not for this civilian, the shooter would have been able to finish reloading his gun and continue his massacre. If a person bearing a gun had not been on the scene at either one of these shootings, much more damage could have been done by the shooters. Sharp-minded civilians with guns, however, were present at both of those school shootings. Without anyone even firing a shot, both of these tragedies were prevented from becoming worse.For a more recent example, consider the Virginia Tech shooting. Obviously, there was no student or teacher with a gun at the scene of the shooting. As I stated before, we cannot know if the tragedy could have turned out differently if someone would have shot the shooter. We can logically see how the tragedy could have been prevented by a student with a gun, though. Imagine if a student or teacher would have pulled a gun on and shot the Seung-Hui Cho before he began shooting people in the classroom. Dozens of lives could have been saved by that quickly-thought action.There is no possibility that someone with a concealed gun would have been on the scene, however, because concealed weapons are not allowed on the Virginia Tech campus. Almost any mass shooting could be prevented by a quick-thinking civilian with a concealed gun. Because one of the criteria for owning a concealed-carry permit is that the owner must be somewhat proficient at shooting, there is a good chance that a murderous gunner could be stopped by one bullet. Banning concealed handguns really doesn’t protect anyone.If a person is intent on killing someone, or is intent on killing a mass of people, he will do it. Someone who is willing to go against the law and kill someone, or kill a number of people, will not mind going against the law about carrying a gun on a campus. And even if a murderer does not bring a gun onto campus, there are many other ways to kill someone, such as a knife, baseball bat, or even bare hands. Guns themselves really aren’t the problem, in fact, â€Å"Guns aren’t bad things or good things . They’re things, inanimate objects, and chunks of metal with no will of their own. So if people bent on murdering will murder, people who will be the victims of the murderer should have some way to defend themselves. The best way for a person to defend themselves against an attacker is a gun, simply because it is so deadly. In a study that analyzed the relationship between concealed handgun laws and crime rates between 1977 and 1995, the effect of those laws was clearly seen. In those 19 years, states that passed laws allowing concealed-carry guns saw an 84% decline in multiple-victim shootings.In addition, after concealed-carry laws had been established for 5 years, murders decreased by at least 15%. Some people say that we cannot trust civilians with concealed handguns in mass-shooting situations because they might shoot an innocent bystander instead of the murderer. As I stated before, however, one of the criteria for obtaining a concealed-carry permit is that the owner m ust be somewhat proficient at shooting. There is a small chance that someone with a concealed handgun would shoot the wrong person in a space the size of a classroom. Others contend that small arguments could turn into shooting battles.I can see why some of my opponents would think this, but people are just as likely to shoot each other over small arguments as they are to strangle each other or stab each other. One of the requirements for a concealed-carry permit owner is, as I stated earlier, that he or she is mentally sound. People who are right in their minds will not attempt to kill someone with whom they have a minor disagreement. And if a person is bent on killing another, they will find a way to do it. According to Craig Medred, editor of the â€Å"Outdoors† magazine, â€Å"The problem isn’t the weapon of choice, it’s the anger.It doesn’t make any difference whether a killer has a gun, a knife, or a crowbar. Guns are used defensively 2. 5 million times every year. There has been many times over the past decades that multiple-victim shootings are prevented by civilians with concealed guns. Because there are people who are bent on killing others, the victims should have an effective method of defending themselves. Namely, they should be able to defend themselves with a gun. Banning guns doesn’t actually protect anybody, so people should be allowed to carry a concealed gun if they wish. Many lives could be saved if concealed handguns were allowed on college campuses.

Like Water for Chocolate Essay

Suggests that the soup has made her feel like a baby again given that while she is still in her mom’s belly she cries very hard when onions are chopped and it suggest the impact of food to Tita. After drinking the soup Tita has miraculously recovered from the loss of pigeons which she kept as pet and that triggered her sense of loosing Pedro and R erself to cook she fell in love with it and got a part time job as an assistant to a cooking teacher. Even though she has a lack of precision she was hired because she wasn’t afraid to fail and has a passion to cook unlike the others and getting hired made her feel confident, hence gaining control of life through cooking. The protagonist, Tita in Like Water for Chocolate gains control through cooking as well. Cooking is the only thing Tita love to do because Mama Elena bans her from doing a lot of things; the kitchen is the area where she can retreat from Mama Elena’s demands. When she cooked quail in rose petal sauce she controlled and triggered a lot of people’s emotion. Her sister Gertrudis was the first on affected by the dish, it aroused her sexual desire. She fled naked from her burning shower and when on a horse, galloping away with a soldier. Another incident where she gained control is the Chabela wedding cake she made for her lover Pedro and Rosaura. Even though she couldn’t stop the wedding, she made everyone cry. She made people cry for her tragic experience not only the guests cried, Mama Elena cried as well. She lost control of her life but through cooking she gain control of people’s emotions. In Like Water for Chocolate, food is not just a nutrition it acts as a very important nurturing role. The ox-tail soup Dr. John gave Tita has recalled the best moments of her life and brought back memories of her and Nacha making ox-tail soup together, chopping onions. It suggests that the soup has made her feel like a baby again given that while she is still in her mom’s belly she cries very hard when onions are chopped and it suggest the impact of food to Tita.