Experiencing Pain Essay example -- Health, Philosophy, Personal Experi

Most would agree that pain is an emotion we want to avoid; however, experiencing pain has the potential for insight, knowledge, and a new understanding of life that may not have been in realization. Through experiencing or living with pain, a proper understanding of value can perhaps be brought to things that may not have been valued in a pain free life. Because of pain, the true meaning of life, what it is like to live, and the value of oneself and others is to be within one’s control. Pain is a destructive force, yet it can strengthen the mind and the spirit. As stated in Virginia Woolf’s essay on Being Ill, the true beauty of the people and the real beauty of the earth can be seen through the eyes of those who are in pain. Also according to Woolf, pain can lead to spiritual divinity. From my understanding, the power of prayer to some people is not in belief until pain has overtaken the body of oneself or of a loved one. Pain seems to open the eyes of those who have not correctly lived their lives. Small things in life are regularly overlooked due to the busy and determined career oriented lifestyles. The joys of life come through the detail of the small gestures given or received. The golden rule of â€Å"treat others the way you want to be treated,† is important for people who want to lead a happy life. Until he was deathly ill, Ivan Ilyich, the main character in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, never appreciated the small things in life. His focus was narrowed to one topic. â€Å"Ivan made work the center gravity of his life† (50). Before anything else, including his marriage, Ivan’s work and analyzing way of living was of first priority. Neither Ivan nor his friends valued one another. Ivan’s family and friends treated Ivan ... ...ckily, she survived and my passenger and I survived with minor injuries. Not a day goes by where I do not think about what happened, but I know it happened for a reason. Getting through this painful situation made me a stronger willed person. Taking things for granted is what I do not do. I truly value my life and my family’s lives. A life can be taken away at any second. Giving thanks for the joy and love in life is something that needs to be done daily. Material items are replaceable, but what is irreplaceable is a human being. Memories made will last a lifetime, but the physical presence of a loved one will be gone. The best advice is to live life to the fullest and value the sentimental belongings, especially family and friends. Pain is not an ease, but it helps ease the minds of those who are most important with respect and insight to value.

The Place of Nonhumans in Environmental Issues Essay

1) Do you agree with singer that, morally, animals have an ‘equal consideration of interests’ with humans? Explain the reason for your answer. The suffering and happiness is the main moral principles of equal consideration of interests. Humans and non-humans both have the ability to feel pain and pleasure, so they should be considered equal in regards to these two aspects. However, due to ‘Speciesism’ which is our society’s way of thinking that non humans are inferior and that we should favor the human species over them, is how we morally justify acts like, for example, experimenting of animals rather than on humans (Parenethical.com, 2014). Singer says that no matter if you’re human or non-human, if someone suffers or will suffer, it is important to consider this suffering and not find ways to morally justify them (Parenethical.com, 2014). Equal consideration does not mean treating everyone the same and place equal value on both humans and non-humans lives. It only means considering the interests of both sides and not just giving preference to humans. As mentioned above, if animals interests are considered, and their pain and pleasure are measured against the pain and pleasure of humans, things like factory farming can be considered immoral (Parenethical.com, 2014). Some people also morally justify speciesism because they misinterpret and think that animals feel less pain than humans do. For example, slapping a horse across its back and slapping a baby in the same way. Due to the horse’s thick skin, the horse wouldn’t feel as much pain as the baby would because babies have sensitive skin. However, this is not the same amount of pain between the two, the horse being hit with something harder, for example a stick, might then feel the equal amount of pain as the baby being slapped. So if we claim that it is wrong to inflict that much pain on a baby, we must then agree that it is wrong or immoral to inflict the same amount of pain on a horse (Stafforini, 2014). To conclude, it is important for animals to have equal consideration because of the fact that animals do suffer, so humans and non-humans do have the  same interest in avoiding pain and that there is no non-speciesist way to draw the line between animal interests and human interest (MacKinnon, 1995). 2) Do the economic interests of humans come before the well-being of animals? People see animals as sources of food and clothing. Experimenting on animals is also viewed beneficial to test the safety and effectiveness of drugs, detergents and cosmetics. In other words, animals are known as economic commodities (MacKinnon, 1995). In the case study, Singer talks about how people are willing to allow animals to live and endure in the bad, unsuitable conditions for the duration of their lives just so they can eat meat at low enough prices that they can afford. This is an example of how society would rather not pay extra money on meat for their own economic interest, over the interests of the animals. The other example in the case study is the timber industry, instead of obtaining timber from forests by cutting only certain dead and matured trees, they use clear cutting, which means cutting down everything in a given area which destroys wild animals habitat. Despite the fact that cutting down dead and mature trees will cause little disturbance. Timber companies use clear cutting method due to the fact that it is a lot cheaper than if they gave equal consideration to animals and went with selecting to cut the mature and dead tress instead (Barry, 1979). Other environmental issues are water and air pollution and other effect such as global warming. People and industries change the environment for their own economic interest. However, these changes not only affect the non-humans but also the humans. The case study gives an example of humans discharging cadmium into the bay and eating shellfish from the bay which can make people ill and can potentially be fatal (Barry, 1979). Due to speciesism and other factors, humans cause pollution and global warming which destroy habitats and tend to not give equal consideration of interests to animals because it results in an economic gain for them whether it is a short term gain or long term economic gain. References Barry, V. (1979). Moral issues in business. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Pub. Co., pp.361-365. MacKinnon, B. (1995). Ethics. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Pub. Co. Parenethical.com, (2014). Equal Consideration for Animals  « Introduction to Ethics. [online] Available at: http://parenethical.com/phil140sp11/2011/05/08/equal-consideration-for-animals/ [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014]. Stafforini, P. (2014). Equality for Animals?, by Peter Singer. [online] Utilitarian.net. Available at: http://www.utilitarian.net/singer/by/1979—-.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].

Reaction Paper: Oedipus the King Essay

Prophecies, it is a presumption from extraordinary being, maybe from the prophets, gods or goddesses about the destiny of somebody. In the classical story of Oedipus the King, the story revolves about the prophecy made by the god about the destiny of Oedipus. It is a classic literature from the Greek mythology. It is a story about the young boy that was destined to kill his father and will commit incest by being the husband of his mother. Dramatic unities: unity of actions, unity of time, unity of place. Unity of actions, it is the casual connections of events and incidents; unity of time, it is a concept that the tragedy should confine itself as far as possible, to a single revolution of the sun; unity of place, it is a concept about the epic, the epic can narrate the number of actions simultaneously in different parts. These concepts was shown by the story, it simultaneously narrate the actions and also with connections in every scene; it also achieve the unity of time by making all the scenes looks like happen in just a day. Tragic hero, it was describe as a great man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake. The tragic hero in the story is Oedipus. Hamartia, it may be accompanied by normal imperfection, it was describes as a situation where the hero makes an unintelligent act where you cannot immorally blame him/her. This concept can be seen in the story when Oedipus gets angry on the prophet because of saying he is the one who kill Laius. Hubris, it was describe as the obstacle that the tragic hero will encounter to achieve his goal. This was happen in the story when Oedipus was trying to know the truth, the herdsman didn’t want to talk. Peripeteia, it is the human actions made results exactly opposite to what was intended: it is working in blindness to one’s own defeat. This was seen in the story, it is when Oedipus tried to escape the prophecy, but while escaping, he killed his father where 3 roads met. Anagnorisis, it is the realization of truth, it is the opening of the eyes, sudden lighting flash in the darkness. This concept can see in the scene when herdsman tell the truth, and Oedipus was shocked, even Jocasta; Oedipus made himself blind, while jocasta committed suicide. Catharsis, one of the most difficult concepts in poetics of Aristotle, describes as the purging of the emotions of pity and fear that are aroused in the viewer of a tragedy. You can see this in the story, it happens in the scene where the herdsman was forced by Oedipus to reveal the truth; he was scared on how Oedipus will react. As a whole, the story is great. It touches the heart of every reader, and after reading this text, you wish that destiny will not happen to you or your friends and family. A nice text, must read. Sources: 1. http://www.slideshare.net/ashtri/aristotles-poetics-3096300 2. http://www.english.hawaii.edu/criticalink/aristotle/terms/catharsis.html 3. http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/ref/aristotletragedy.html

English 101 Grit Essay

If â€Å"Grit†, as defined as a measure of perseverance and the way to achieve a long term goal to succeed in college, then who needs family support and resources? Angela Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ is based on an area of psychology research that determines how to be successful in college. Duckworth’s theory argues that having ‘Grit’ or perseverance is the main force that will pull students through to complete college. While I believe Duckworth’s theory to be useful and that having â€Å"Grit† can be key to one’s success in college completion, I do believe that it is the backbone to many other traits and outside influences important to succeed in college. In the case of Donna Beegle’s Story, I think that Duckworth’s theory would be only somewhat useful to understand her success. In the article, â€Å"An Insider’s Perspective: The Donna Beegle Story,† Beegle tells her experience of overcoming extreme poverty and beating all odds and achieving a doctorate. During her road to success, Beegle had many outside influences that were the key to those achievements. She reached out to a Community Action Agency that really opened the doors for her and started a rippling effect towards key resources and influential people. First and foremost, the biggest stepping stone for her was when the agency connected her to the WIT (Women in Transition) program. Beegle states, â€Å"With an enormous amount of support from the WIT program staff and my family, I entered the community college to work on a two-year degree. (246) In addition to the WIT program, Beegle states, â€Å"The one thing that kept me from giving up was the â€Å"Section 8† public housing certificate from the Portland Housing Authority given to me by the WIT program. † (246) Beegle’s statement proves one of my points, that if it was not for that resource, she would have not have been â€Å"gritty† enough to continue her education. For people like Beegle, a GED was just not in the realm of capabilities for her, without those resources, she would not have been able to persevere to that point and beyond with her education. Secondly, let’s consider her family. Her family played a huge role to her success as well. Beegle’s parents watched her children while she attended college, and gave her the motivation and praise she needed to keep going. In addition Beegle’s brother Wayne provided an unusual and unexpected amount of support that led her to complete her two-year degree. Wayne was incarcerated for twelve years; during those years he had an endless amount of time to read and become something Beegle describes as â€Å"middle- class literate. †(248) It was her brother, who through letters back and forth between the two, helped her understand her assignments. Therefore, it’s her family’s support and help from her brother that allowed her to persevere. In addition to all of the resources and family support, Beegle was lucky to have crossed paths with a language specialist by the name of Dr. Bob Fulford. Fulford was the mentor in Beegle’s life that made a huge impact on her educational success. He went beyond his job as a professor of the university she attended, and really took the time to work with her and guide her through academic achievement and personal affairs. He also taught her how to write and corrected her speech. On top of that support from him, he also â€Å"linked her to a network of professionals in the community who continues to widen my range of possibilities. † (249) I believe Fulford’s guidance and encouragement were the key element to Beegle’s success. If it was not for him and other mentors like him believing in her and recognizing she was not â€Å"stupid†, she would not have the chance to better her education. For some people, Duckworth’s theory of ‘Grit’ and perseverance is just not enough to get a college student through to college completion. According to Beegle, â€Å"[m]entors, [m]iddle-[c]lass [l]anguage† (247) and people seeing her for where she was â€Å"[w]ere [k]eys to [m]y [e]ducational [s]uccess†. For me personally, if I did not have my family, financial aid and the Women’s Program at Highline Community College, I really don’t think I would be able to manage. Even if I had ‘Grit’, there are road blocks like child care and having affordable housing that make it possible for me to stay in college. In my experience, ‘grit’ has helped tremendously when combined with the other elements in my life. For example, I recently helped my mother move from her apartment she has been in for over 24 years, to her home she now owns. Between my brother and I and just a few friends, we spent weeks of packing, updating the new house and unpacking. It was ‘grit’ that helped me through doing this huge move while still making it to class every day, turning in all my homework, and acing two quizzes. I was determined to make school a priority over all the other important events that were going on around me. However, some might argue how ‘grit’ played a major role in Beegle’s and my own story, especially when faced with a big disadvantage such as poverty and severe lack of proper education and in my case, a single parent. They may say that the only way to overcome those obstacles is to persevere through it. It’s true that wanting an education and a better life is what will make someone become â€Å"gritty†. It is my ‘Grit’ that has helped me in my classes; there have been assignments that have made my eyes go cross and makes me feel like I just want to give up. But my inner grit comes out and I think of the long term and what I want for my daughter and I. It is those moments when I can say Duckworth’s theory is useful to my situation but not in the grand scheme of things. With grit alongside with these other elements, one can be successful. So in conclusion, I do think having ‘Grit’ plays a big part in one’s success to college completion or at least it is a great supporting factor. Do I think â€Å"All I need is Grit and I can get a degree? † No.  What I think is, grit can help through the hard times, when you feel like giving up, persevere through those obstacle and find another way to get to where you want to go. It is that inner quality of grittiness that will assist someone on their journey. Like Beegle states, â€Å"With subsidized housing, food stamps, mentoring from numerous people, and the support and encouragement of family and agencies, I was able to move forward and become educated. † (248) for me and others alike, ‘Grit’ is only one piece of the 500 piece puzzle.

Colombia Essay Essay

Colombia is a country in South America in the northwestern part of the continent. Colombia has a lot of natural resources, including beautiful beaches, dramatic mountains, and lush rain forests, but it is known for its political unrest and the violent influence of powerful drug cartels. Despite a long history of democratic government, Colombia has one of the most rigidly stratified class systems in Latin America. Colombia is the only country in South America with coasts on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Its neighbors on the east are Venezuela and Brazil; on the south, Ecuador and Peru; and to the northwest, Panama. The capital and largest city is Bogota. Colombian society is divided between the upper and lower classes, with a large and growing gap between them. A substantial middle class developed during the 20th century, a product in part of fairly widespread land ownership associated with the country’s coffee economy. Many of the attitudes that led to Colombia’s sharp class divisions originated in 16th-century Spain and became ingrained in Colombian society during the colonial period. Family lineage, inherited wealth, and racial background continue to be powerful determinants of status. Economic progress during the last 100 years has been substantial, but political, social, and economic power continues to be concentrated in the hands of the small upper class. Since the mid-20th century, Colombia has been torn by violence. Struggles between left-wing guerrillas, right-wing paramilitary groups, and the Colombian armed forces have convulsed much of the countryside. Colombia has also been plagued by an illegal drug trade that flourished in the country as a consequence of the growing demand for narcotics, particularly cocaine, in the United States and other rich, industrialized countries. The Colombian government has attempted to limit drug production and negotiate a peaceful settlement with the rebel forces. At the beginning of the 21st century, however, Colombia still experienced upheaval, and violence had become a daily experience for many Colombians. The total land area of Colombia is 440,831 sq mi. Colombia lies almost entirely in what is known as the Torrid Zone, the area of the earth’s surface between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The climate, however, varies with elevation. The low regions along the coast and the deep Pata and Magdalena river valleys are extremely hot, with average annual temperatures of 24 deg; to 27 deg C (75 deg; to 81 deg F). From about 500 to 2,300 m (about 1,500 to 7,500 ft) the  climate is subtropical, and from about 2,300 to 3,000 m (about 7,500 to 10,000 ft) it is temperate. Above about 3,000 m (about 10,000 ft) is the cold-climate zone, where temperatures range from -18 deg to 13 deg C (0 deg to 55 deg F). About half of Colombia’s land is forested. To the north and west of the Andes, tropical forests line the major riv ers and fringe the coastal areas. East of the Andes, the forests become denser as they approach the Orinoco and Amazon rivers. Pastureland occupies about 40 percent of the country and is mostly located in the basins between the Andean highlands. Cropland accounts for a mere 4.1 percent of the land, with no more than 1.7 percent supporting permanent crops. Most of the arable land is found in patches on the Andean mountainsides. The mineral resources of the country are varied and extensive. Colombia ranks as the world’s major source of emeralds, most of which are mined in the western department of Boyac. Other significant reserves include petroleum and natural gas, located mostly in the northeast. Most coal deposits are located on the Guajira peninsula on the country’s northeast coast. Gold and silver are found dispersed in veins throughout the central highlands. Iron ore, salt, platinum, and uranium are other important natural resources of Colombia. Colombia contains several fertile low-lying valleys, but only 4.1 percent of the country’s land area, chiefly at higher elevations, is cultivated. The country’s agricultural regions suffer from soil exhaustion and erosion. These problems stem largely from slash-and-burn farming methods, in which forestland is cleared by cutting down and burning the existing plants. Colombia is divided into 32 departments and one capital district. Colombia’s capital and largest city is Bogota, an industrial center with a population (2000 estimate) of 6,422,198. Located on a mountain plateau in the Cordillera Oriental, it is the heart of cultural and political life in Colombia. Cali (2,128,920) lies in the Cauca Valley. The city began as a center for coffee production, but it later developed as the commercial heart of the entire southern region. Medellà ­n (1,885,001), situated in a highland valley of the Cordillera Central, ranks as the most important economic area. Originally settled by migrants from Cartagena, Medellà ­n grew into a gold-mining town, a general commercial settlement, and finally an important manufacturing center. Other important commercial cities include Barranquilla  (1,549,197), which boasts a seaport and a major international airport, and Cartagena (829,476), a seaport and oil pipeline terminal. The Colombian population has a dive rse racial makeup. About 58 percent of the people are mestizo (of mixed European and Native American ancestry), about 20 percent are of unmixed European ancestry, and about 14 percent are mulatto (of mixed black and European ancestry). Blacks account for 4 percent of the population, mixed black and Native Americans for 3 percent, and unmixed Native Americans for 1 percent. The main religion in Colombia is Roman Catholicism; about 96 percent of the people are Roman Catholics. Although it is not the official state religion, Roman Catholicism is taught in all public schools. Small Protestant and Jewish minorities exist. Coffee is still Colombia’s principal crop, although Colombia was recently surpassed by Vietnam as the second largest coffee producer in the world after Brazil. Colombia remains the world’s leading producer of mild coffee, but in the mid-1990s petroleum became the country’s largest source of foreign income. In the mid-1970s coffee accounted for 80 percent of Colombia’s export earnings; by the early 2000s coffee brought in less than 10 percent of export earnings. High production costs and low international prices combined to reduce the earnings of Colombian coffee growers. Coffee is cultivated chiefly on mountain slopes from about 900 to 1,800 m (about 3,000 to 6,000 ft) above sea level, principally in the departments of Caldas, Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Norte de Santander, Tolima, and Santander. More than 150,000 mainly small coffee plantations extend over approximately 1 million hectares (approximately 2.5 million acres). Coffee output totaled 702,000 metric tons in 2003, with most of the exported coffee going to the United States. While coffee is Colombia’s leading agricultural product, the country’s diverse climate and topography permit cultivation of a wide variety of other crops. Annual production of principal cash crops in addition to coffee includes cacao bean s (47,000 metric tons), sugarcane (36.6 million), tobacco (29,000), cotton (100,000), bananas, and cut flowers. Chief food crops are rice (2.5 million), cassava (1.8 million), potatoes (2.9 million), and plantains. Plants producing pita, sisal, and hemp fibers, used in the manufacture of cordage and coarse sacking material, are also cultivated. The livestock included cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses. The production of drug-related crops took on significant proportions starting in the 1970s  with the cultivation of marijuana. Although Colombia has become notorious for its cocaine supply, the processing of coca leaves was more significant than actual coca plant cultivation in the country until the mid-1990s. As the supply of coca, primarily from Peru and Bolivia, was disrupted, coca growing in Colombia increased significantly. Opium poppies, used to make heroin, also became a significant source of revenue despite government efforts to stop their cultivation. It was estimated that from 1980 to 1995 the value of illegal drug exports amounted to almost half the value of Colombia’s legal exp orts. Colombia’s government has undergone several changes since the mid-20th century. One of the most significant was the adoption of a new constitution in 1991. The new constitution replaced the 1886 constitution and provided for a more decentralized, pluralistic, and democratic government. Colombian governments also had to contend with major changes in the national economy. After 1980 Colombia began exporting large amounts of illegal drugs, primarily cocaine. The estimated value of illegal drug exports amounted to almost half the value of Colombia’s legal exports from 1980 to 1995. Earnings from the drug trade helped Colombia avoid the debt crisis that afflicted much of Latin America during the 1980s. But by cheapening the dollar and thereby overvaluing the Colombian peso, the drug trade also undermined the competitiveness of Colombia’s legal exports by making them more expensive than similar exports from other countries.

Case Study Report - Introduction to Marketing Essay

Case Study Report - Introduction to Marketing - Essay Example They are efficient in their own term of making the product efficiently, however they did not have any proper marketing knowledge to launch their product. Here we try to help them by considering different issues to evaluate the market. What types of customers are able and like to buy the urban shack product is discussed by consumer segmentation. Here we try to find the group of customers, who will be their target customer. Next we try to identify the business segmentation of Eco Shack. Irrespective of the individual customers, in terms of B2B business that can be approached also the findings in this sector. The branding and positioning of the product also discussed here. What strategies will maximise the customer attraction is the main motto here. In pricing approach, the company is likely to use the cost based approach. What are the basic advantages and disadvantages of this approach is also discussed here.... Some may needed a spare room for their business, or accommodate study or for the older parents or children. As the New Zealander also love to go summer vacation in different destinations like sea beach or mountain, most of them are situated in remote areas, where they need accommodations. A shack which is a type of small, often primitive shelter can use for these type of needs. As the environment is changing one should consider the environment factor while considering the accommodations. As it authorised by the Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EFCA) new building developers increased the usage of insulation rating requirements. Mr. Dough who holds a diploma degree from National Diploma in Architectural Technology (NDAT), and Mr. Paul, who is a qualified welder have come up with two Eco products – Eco shack and urban eco shack. Eco –Shacks are 2.4 to 3 meters wide and varying length from 3.6 meters long transportable building. This can be easily transported by an He rb truck or by Helicopter. It also maintains the NZS3604 standard. With a minimum50 years of life, it has several features like it built on timer framing, eco-ply cladding, wind turbine, battery storage, composting toilet, phone and data connection, long run colour, steel roofing and many other features. It will cost around NZ$35,000 to $40,000. The Urban Eco Shack is having some more features like wool carpet, Sensor light, smoke alarm. It sized about 3.6*2.4 meter floor area with 0.9*2.4 meter deck. The unit cost will be NZ$12,500. However this has been advertised on Trade &Exchange and in The New Zealand Herald, the owner is unable to find any response. In the following areas we try to find different market segmentation. Consumer segmentation Consumer segmentation

Violent Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Violent Media - Essay Example Their mind gets perplexed due to such exposures and they do not know how to react. Either they become aggressive and retaliate or they develop fear psychosis and feel frightened, insecure and unsafe. They may even resist going to the school. In such cases, the parents should not neglect the situation and accompany the child to the school find out the root cause of violence and tackle the situation in a peaceful manner by taking assistance from the school administrators. Parents are the first arbitrators for any complicated situations the children face in the school or in the neighborhood.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Parents are certainly the most important persons in the life of children and they will listen to their counsel more than what they are willing to accommodate the articulations of the TV anchors. Parents need to develop open communication with the children, encourager and support, provide positive reinforcements and save them from being exposed to negativities. Never try to o utsmart the children with dishonest or evasive replies. When they find out the truth about the issue, they will have poor opinion about your honesty. In the next opportune moment, they may not trust you at all even if you give the correct information to them. Talk to them again and again, lovingly and in a persuasive manner. What happens when children are exposed to negative side of life? â€Å"The dual-identity concept at the heart of many superhero stories helps kids negotiate the conflicts between the inner self and the public self.