Pathological Rationalism Essay Example for Free

Pathological Rationalism Essay We often encounter a lot of pathological rationalism in the media. Oftentimes, the claims of some commercials and advertisements are half-truths interspersed with testimonies designed to convince people of their truthfulness and helpfulness when in fact, the claims are not acknowledged by nutritional science. Because its marketing and distribution is not prohibited by law, Vitamin O was marketed as a supplement with beneficial effects for anemia, cancer and the improvement of energy and of the mind. These effects, however, are but manifestations of the placebo effect and what is claimed as Vitamin O is saltwater with few additional contents (CNN Interactive, 1999). Because of the lack of scientific basis, the Federal Trade Commission brought against the makers of Vitamin O and the company was ordered by the court to return the money of the customers who bought it because the accounts and the evidences presented in the media about Vitamin O is â€Å"blatantly false† (CNN Interactive, 1999). In dealing with media, there should be a reasonable level of skepticism and an effort to verify the information presented. This is a noble approach in dealing with information from the media. Believing immediately might be costly, especially in matters that concern health and well-being in life. Although testimonies are helpful, the motives of these testimonies should also be analyzed if they are only meant to help sell the product. By doing this, we can be protected from the hype and glut perpetrated by the media. Another pathological rationalism is the speech of Iran’s President at Columbia University. In the interest of free speech, he was allowed to address American students although he is known for his extremist views about developing nuclear weapons and making war with Israel. If people would start believing in him right away, he would create havoc. Yet, effective research should be done to verify and counter the arguments he presented.

The Evolution of the Human Brain :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Evolution of the Human Brain Although my previous two papers concerned the interplay between neurobiology and genetics, I have not quite worked the issue out to my satisfaction nor to the depth which I think the topic warrants. Therefore, I will again tackle this complex set of biological questions pertaining to the ways in which our genes shape our brains. My first paper dealt with the nature-nurture debate and its relation to the brain-behavior problem raised in class. Then, in the second paper, I moved on to a narrower issue in neurogenetics; I wrote about Fragile X Syndrome and the ways in which a specific genetic mutation can drastically change behavioral output. I would now like to enlarge the scope of this outlook on genes and the brain to encompass the topic of the evolution of the human brain. Throughout the semester, as we covered sensory input and motor output, a single neuron and complex motor symphonies, car sickness and dreaming, I have left class wondering: how are these behaviors, from the micro- actions of a neuron to the macro-actions of a human being, adaptive? How did large brains and extensive nervous systems come to be selected for? And why have humans, alone, acquired them? Some aspects of these questions seem to reside in the realm of the paleontologists, others, in the realm of the neurogeneticists. They do, however, seem to me to be central to neurobiology. For it is drilled into us that form connotes function, and, perhaps, if we come to understand how and why the human nervous system was formed, we will have a richer understanding of how and why it functions as it does. The work and thoughts of Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene, have been useful to me in working out the issues of my previous papers, and I will again employ his theory that people are merely survival machines for the genes they carry. This is, I think, a logical argument with which to begin a discussion of the evolution of the brain, as it reduces evolutionary processes down to the bare bones of living things, that essential material: human genes and the DNA comprising them. This viewpoint excludes the complicated semi-philosophical questions pertaining to consciousness, higher thought, and the Self experienced by human beings via their neural processing; it primarily addresses the usefulness to human beings of the inordinately large organ contained within the skull.

Ap History Compare and Contrast Essay: Egypt and Mesopotamia

Ethan Sua 10/16/10 Mr. McGrath AP World History A Compare and Contrast Essay of Egypt and Mesopotamia Egypt and Mesopotamia developed different and similar political and religious civilizations. Mesopotamian civilizations such as the Sumerians, the Akkadian kingdom, the Assyrian empire and the Babylonian city-state, were all too dependent on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Egypt’s natural isolation and material self-sufficiency fostered a unique culture that for long periods had relatively little to do with other civilizations.Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. In politics, Mesopotamia culture created compact self-governing political units- the city-states. It was due to the geographical barriers of the rivers and rough terrains that made it impossible to unite the many different settled communities under one rule. The Nile River was the total opp osite of the rivers of Mesopotamia. These kings emerged mainly by their military status and role.Through their powers they created mechanisms such as military forces, laws, and taxations. Similarly, in Egypt, the control of wring mean control of knowledge and thus power. It is easy to see where they come to these conclusions. The Pharaoh controlled all political instruments of power and is also the authority in terms of religious beliefs. By the third millennium B. C. E. the concept of king (lugal) developed, quite possibly because of arguments about natural resources. Religious leaders decreased in power, as the power of kings increased. Although the kings subdued the temples, Mesopotamian kings did not have divine power.Political changes occurred in Mesopotamia because of the succession of people that followed the politically dominant Sumerian civilization. By 1750 B. C. E. , the written law code of King Hammurabi (the first ruler of the Old Babylonian state) , was used to maintai n political authority and continuity. In contrast to Mesopotamia, Egypt spent most of its history as a unified monarchy, whereas Mesopotamia seems to have begun as a collection of city-states (under the politically dominate rule of Sumer) and progressed to being dominated by a pair of mutually hostile powers: Assyria and Babylonia.In ancient Egypt, legendary King Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt into one nation that lasted with continuity of culture from 3,100-1070 B. C. E. with thirty dynasties. Unlike Mesopotamian kings, the Egyptian king was represented as Horus and as the son of Re, and fit into the pattern of the dead returning to life and the climatic renewing life of the sun-god. No written law code was developed in Egypt. Egypt was substantially more self-sufficient than Mesopotamia with copper and turquoise. The pharaoh governed the country through a large efficient bureaucracy.In highly urbanized Mesopotamia, central powers, and the use of written records allowed certain groups to obtain mass amounts of wealth. Male domination of the position of a scribe- an administrator or scholar charged by the temple or palace with reading and writing tasks- further complicates efforts to reconstruct the lives of women. Women were able to: own property, maintain control of their dowry, and even engage in trade but men monopolized political life. The females also worked outside the home in textile factories, breweries or as prostitutes, tavern keepers, bakers, or fortune tellers.Inside the home women wove baskets, cooked, cleaned, and collected water. For the most part, their writings reflect elite male activities. Temple leaders and the kings controlled large agricultural estates, and the palace administration collected taxes from subjects. How elite individuals acquired large private holdings is not known, since land was rarely put up for sale. In some cases debtors lost their land to creditors, or soldiers and priests received land in return for their service .The lowest class, the slaves and peasants, of Mesopotamian society worked on the fields and used their strength, when harvest season ended, to build large public works like ziggurats- a multistory, mud-brick, pyramid-shaped tower with ramps or stairs. Women were subordination to men and had no property rights. In Mesopotamia by the second millennium B. C. E. merchants had gained in status and in power through gilds. In the Old Babylonian period, the class of people who were not dependent on the temple or palace grew, the amount of land and other property in private hands increased, and free laborers became more common.Hammurabi’s Code written in the eighteenth century B. C. E. identifies three classes: 1. Free landowning class- royalty, high-ranking officials, warriors, priests, merchants, and some artisans and shopkeepers; 2. The class of dependent farmers and artisans, whose legal attachment to royal or temple, or private estates made them the primary rural work force; and 3. The class of slaves; primarily used in domestic service. Penalties prescribed in the Law Code depended on the class of the offender. The lower orders received the most severe punishments. Slaves were mainly prisoners of war from the mountains.Egyptian class structure was less defined and more pyramid in shape. Compared to Mesopotamia, a far larger percentage of the Egyptian population lived in farming villages and Egypt’s wealth derived from a higher degree from cultivating the land. When not need for agriculture the peasants labored to build the tombs of the pharaoh. Slavery existed on a limited scale and was of limited economic significance. In contrast to Mesopotamia, Egyptian merchants had a low social status. For women subordination to men is evident but they are represented with dignity and affection in tomb paintings.Legal documents show that Egyptian women could own property, inherit from their parents, and will their property to whomever they wished. Marriage, us ually monogamous, arose from a couple’s decision to establish a household together rather than for legal or religious ceremony. Both parties could dissolve the relationship, and women retained rights over her dowry in case of divorce. At certain times, queens and queen-mothers played significant behind-the-scenes roles in the politics of the royal court, and priestesses sometimes supervised the cults of female deities.In general, the limited evidence suggests that women in ancient Egypt enjoyed greater respect and more legal rights and social freedom than women in Mesopotamia and other ancient societies. State-organized religion stands out in Mesopotamia. City-states built temples and showed devotion to the divinity or divinities that protected the community. Priests attended this divine image with rituals that reflected the message of the Babylonian Creation Myth that humankind existed only to serve the gods and  a  priest  would actually read from that text to the god ’s image.Many subsequent activities in the temple reenacted the events of the myth. The Sumerian gods embodied the forces of nature: Anu the sky, Enlil the air, Enki the water, Utu the sun, Nanna the moon. Egyptians also believed in amulets and in magic. Religion was state organized there also. A primary difference in Egyptian belief is that the Egyptians believed in the afterlife. They prepared for a safe passage and a comfortable existence once they arrived. The Egyptian Book of the Dead, present in many excavated tombs, contains rituals and spells to protect them.In Mesopotamia, they felt that their deities were not loving, care-taking beings. They felt that their gods were vengeful, jealous, and malicious. This view developed from the many natural obstacles they were burdened with. Geography and climate did influence different and similar development in the political, and religious systems of both Egypt and Mesopotamia. Quite possibly Egyptian civilization enjoyed greater longevity than that of Mesopotamian because the Mesopotamia culture was started from scratch by the early Sumerians where as Egyptians were able to borrow from Mesopotamia.

Cyber Bullying Essay example - 1112 Words

Social Networking has taken bullying to the extreme. Before advanced technology, children and teenagers were troubled by school bullies. Today, they are targeted by bullies via internet. Most people undergo some form of bullying in life. Growing up, I experienced the typical name calling and spiteful comments. I also dealt with minor cases of virtual bullies. These bullies are known as cyber bullies. I find this topic compelling because it’s a matter that has spiraled out of control. â€Å"Cyber bullying is defined as using the computer or other electronic devices to intimidate, threaten or humiliate another individual,† Admin October 13th, 2008. As the Hartman 2 internet continues growing more popular with the youth, so do potential†¦show more content†¦This makes the bully feel more powerful. Hartman 3 There’s not a legitimate reason for cyber bullying. Many perpetrators bully just to get a reaction. It’s common for them to bully another just to boost their ego. It makes the tormentor feel in charge. Some may think it’s humorous to tease and make fun of others and that it’s not harmful in any way. The reality is being bullied can cause many problems for children and teenagers. Many negative effects are outcomes of cyber bullies. The impact cyber bullying has on kids is detrimental. Victims can develop psychological problems. For example, victims begin having anxiety, lower self-esteem, and frustration. They may also be diagnosed with depression. It’s tough to ignore cyber bullying. Compared to school bullies, internet bullies cause their victim more emotional pain. Children and teenagers are able to escape school bullies when they return home. However targets of cyber bullying don’t have that advantage. There is no argument as to if cyber bullying is good or bad. However is social networking to blame? Or is lack of parent monitoring the problem? It’s true that adolescents are often given too much technology independence. I believe parents should fully acknowledge what websites their children are visiting and what they are posting. On the contrary, I feel there is no excuse for child or teenager to feel the urge to emotionally attackShow MoreRelatedBullying And The Cyber Bullying Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesIDENTIFICATION PROBLEM STATEMENT BACKGROUND Cyber bullying refers to something when one uses their cell phone, computers or an electronic device to access internet and technology for the purpose of harassment and providing harms to others. Sending inappropriate messages, uploading disturbing images, threatening and posting something without someone’s’ approval are the forms of cyber bullying. 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They are trying to send out a message to their followers saying that bullying is not right and should not b e tolerated. The expansion of communication technologiesRead More Cyber Bullying Essay1447 Words   |  6 PagesHalligan kill[ed] himself after months of harassment, including instant messages calling him gay† (Billitteri.) Cyber bullying is much more dangerous than traditional bullying, and should be punished with much stricter guide lines, not just within schools but within criminal courts as well. Traditional bullying was done on school grounds, at the bus stop, or walking home, but today cyber bullies leave teens vulnerable to the abuse with no place to seek refuge. â€Å"Its a non-stop type of harassmentRead MoreThe Issues Of Cyber Bullying946 Words   |  4 Pages Coastal Carolina University The Issues of Cyber-bullying Alyssa Staub CSCI 101 – D1 Professor Matthews October 23, 2017 â€Æ' Cyber bullying has been a topic for scholarly inquiry, political debate, and policy reform since the commercialization of the Internet. Pre-internet bullying involved socially marginalized children and teenagers picking on their friends and other marginalized children at school. Traditional discipline included detentions, phone calls to their parentsRead More Bullying Evolution: Cyber-bullying Essay1869 Words   |  8 Pagestheirs, constantly picking on them and sometimes even inflicting physical abuse. Well I hate to break it to you but this individual is back and is more equipped than before, preying on the weak and vulnerable in the cyber world (internet). Most recently, it took a crime wave of â€Å"cyber bullying† before our media and leaders in the Untied States gave it attention; now that the American people realize that the â€Å"classroom bully† has evolved into a more dangerously clever and sinister inflictor of emotionalRead MoreBullying Vs Cyber Bullying E ssay2021 Words   |  9 PagesBullying is a major problem that impacts many teens over generations, causing an endless cycle of bullying. With the new age of technology, this leads to new issues that are affecting teens’ lives. One of these issues is that cyberbullying is quickly becoming more common than the traditional playground bullying, as more social media are appealing to teens. Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens using electronic devices such as phones, laptops, and tablets. This form of bullying includes