Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy Research Paper

Worldview as it Relates to Philosophy - Research Paper Example Through experience and education individuals develop these perspectives and implement them as a means of living their daily existence. When considering myself I recognize that my worldview has changed drastically over the course of my life and has been greatly influenced by experience and philosophy. This essay considers my current worldview and the way my past worldview has been influenced and changed through philosophy. Before taking this course my worldview was strongly rooted in religious doctrines. Throughout the formative periods of my life I grew up in an environment that was strictly Christian. Within this environment my parents and most of my peers believed in the major tenants of the Christian religion. Growing up in this environment I learned to adopt most of the religious principles that are espoused by the Christian religion. In terms of the creation of the world I believed that Earth and the universe had been created by God. I believed in morals as they related to the c oncept of good and evil as established by the Bible. In these regards, morality was presented as an easily understandable concept – if an individual adhered to the law and the tenants of the Bible then they were a moral and good person. I also embraced a concept of the afterlife. If individuals adhered to the Biblical principles and allowed God into their life then I believed they would go to heaven. Conversely, if they disregarded these aspects, they would go to Hell. My relation to science and logic were complex. While I embraced the principle of science in an overarching sense, I came to believe that oftentimes science could be wrong or mistaken. Specifically, in terms of evolution and cosmology I believed that while scientists had approached the concepts of existence and biology with their greatest ability, they were ultimately flawed in their findings. I understood that that ultimately their current scientific investigations would be proven wrong and they would ultimatel y discover that God and Biblical principles were the true reality of existence. When I look back on my worldview during this period of my life I recognize that I was greatly influenced by my personal surroundings and parents’ influence. As I gradually became more exposed to new ideas and new people my worldview drastically changed. In large part, the philosophical ideas I was exposed to in this course shaped and sharpened my worldview in a variety of ways. One of the major notions that I came to recognize through my research in philosophy emerged in terms of Christian morality. While Christianity noted that there were easily understood concepts of good and evil, my exposure to philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche in Beyond Good and Evil led me to understand that moral actions couldn’t easily be broken down into concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ but often involve a complex number of philosophical implications (Nietzsche 1993). Another profound such changes that I experienced occurred in my understanding and eventual embracement of scientific principles. As I previously indicated that I had believed science did not properly understand Christian understandings of the world, as I became exposed to more scientific thought I came to understand that in large part the principles behind such concepts as evolution are supported by substantial scientific research. In these regards, I learned to increasingly embrace the notion that many of the claims made in the Bible may be wrong. As I became exposed to earlier notions of mythology, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, which contains a flood story, I further came to recognize

Can Genetically Modified Organisms Save the World Essay

Can Genetically Modified Organisms Save the World - Essay Example Today, the process of genetic modification is rapidly advancing throughout the planet. In 2004, 8.25 million farmers in 17 nations (Ahmed, 30) grew the crops. The production and marketing of GM foods are due to the superficial benefits they hold either to the producer or to consumption of these genetic foods. In the beginning, GM seeds developers needed their products to be accepted by producers and focus on innovations that have direct benefit to the farmers and the food industry at large. For example, the International Rice Research Institute located in the Philippines manufactured the GM golden rice to help people in the South East Asia that were lacking food. GMO foods are unavoidable and we cannot live without them. The WHO, the Food, Drug Administration, and other scientific bodies in the world have strongly advocated for the use of GM foods, since they do not have any harm to the human health. Additionally, research shows that the risks to human health that may be brought about by the consumption of GM foods are the same as those that are brought about by the consumption of non-GM foods. Moreover, the GM foods are safe to use as they tested for food safety and passed the safety assessment. Some people believe that GM foods should be eliminated due to the risks they have like the health issues. It is a fact that people have eaten some of the GM foods unknowingly, but no complains of serious concerns (Ahmed, 18). By 2040, the world’s population is predicted to increase significantly and this therefore means that there are more resources to use and more people to feed. This growing human population entails to being open to new ideas and the use of new technology to curb food insecurity. Moreover, with this new technology, there are many benefits that the genetic modification has in terms of dealing with malnutrition, food security, and agricultural

Anorexia and Bulimia Essay -- Causes of Bulimia, Eating Disorders

Anorexia and Bulimia: A Concise Overview As many as 20% of females in their teenage and young adult years suffer from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (Alexander-Mott, 4). Males are also afflicted by these eating disorders, but at a much lower rate, with a female to male ratio of six to one. Those with anorexia nervosa refuse to maintain a normal body weight by not eating and have an intense fear of gaining weight. People with bulimia nervosa go through periods of binge eating and then purging (vomiting), or sometimes not purging but instead refraining from eating at all for days. Both of these disorders wreak havoc on a person's body and mental state, forcing them to become emaciated and often depressed. There is no known exact cause of either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, but many factors play a role in the initial onset, such as: personality traits, low self-esteem, and social and cultural influences (Costin, 21). Many anorexics have specific personality traits that urge them to refrain from eating. Many are perfectionists that will diet and exercise and not eat until their bodies are perfect. Unfortunately, however, he or she never thinks their body is perfect, and continues their destructive cycle. Anorexics that are perfectionists also tend to want to be in control at all times. Often , they feel as though others are trying to force them to do Breaux 2 things, and so, take complete control of their bodies. Marcia, an anorexic, wrote in her diary "I am in control; people are just jealous because I have will power" (D., 6). Another factor is low self-esteem. One anorexic said of her low self-esteem, "My goal in life was to please; like a chameleon, I'd change to suit whomever I was with. I always felt I was in the way†¦" (D., 1). Anorexics with low self-esteem often feel they are worthless and do not deserve to eat. Not only do they not eat, but they constantly berate themselves with insults. They hate their bodies, and cannot realize their true appearance, instead seeing a distorted image. When she weighed a mere 98 pounds, Marcia told herself, "You are a pig. You are disgusting. You must suffer" (D., 5). Bulimics also suffer from low self-esteem and feel ashamed of their behavior. Feeling guilty after eating is a co... ...orted self-image, low self-esteem, and a need for control. "Eating disorders are not about food or weight but about a disordered 'sense of self' looking for approval and finding it, however Breaux 5 temporarily, in the pursuit of thinness or the comfort of food" (Costin, 48). Treatment is an option for anorexics and bulimics, though it can take years, and sometimes it never succeeds. Hopefully, though, friends and loved ones of anorexics and bulimics will see the warning signs and seek help for them. Bibliography Alexander-Mott, LeeAnn. Understanding Eating Disorders. Washington, D.C.: Taylor & Francis Ltd., 1994. Costin, Carolyn. The Eating Disorder Sourcebook. Los Angeles, CA: Lowell House, 1996. K.D.K. "My Story." Online. March 3, 2000 <http://www.dana.ucc.nau.edu/ ~kdk2/mystory.html> D., Marcia. "My Story." Online. March 3, 2000 <http://www.members. Tripod.com/~MarciaD/index.html> Thayne, Becky. Hope and Recovery. New York, New York: Emma Lou Thayne, 1992.

Atticus Finch †To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

Throughout chapters 1-17 in To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is shown as a very courageous and non-judgemental person. At times in the book he is also a very caring father but he can be strict at times. His name, Atticus is also a very polite man and always shows courtesy to the people he meets. Many people that live in Maycomb know Atticus is a gentleman and is very polite. He also has a conscience when he says that if he didn’t defend a Negro then he would be ashamed and wouldn’t be able to hold his head up in town. Harper Lee portrayed Atticus as a very courageous man. Atticus is courageous because he takes up a case no one else dares to take, the Tom Robinson case. He was willing to risk his honour and dignity to help the poorly accused black man. Although he gets a lot of abuse from various people, for example Mrs Dubose when she says, â€Å"Atticus is a nigger-lover†, he still doesn’t step down from the case and ignores people. He even put his Children in the way when Scout nearly gets in to a fight against Cecil Jacobs when Cecil Jacobs says that â€Å"Scout Finch’s daddy defends niggers†. Scout even takes abuse from her own family when her cousin, Francis, says that Atticus is a â€Å"nigger-lover† which really puts Scout on edge and she starts a fight with Francis. Atticus is also a very non-judgemental person and will always look at things from both sides of the story. In chapter 3 Atticus says, â€Å"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it†. Here, Atticus is saying that you can’t judge something until you see things from their point of view, until you see what they’re experiencing. Atticus is a very caring father but a strict one too. He is very caring when Scout comes home from her first day in school and complains that Miss Caroline (the teacher) doesn’t want Atticus and Scout reading together any more. Atticus decides to make a deal with Scout, â€Å"If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have†. This shows that he cares about Scout concerns and decides to make a deal to make her happy. Although caring he is also a strict father and when Jem loses her cool and destroys Mrs Dubose’s flowers he makes Jem go back and apologies. To do something like this to a sick lady is inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs Dubose†. As well as a good father he is also a very polite and well-mannered man. For example, in the court trial with Mayella, Atticus wouldn’t call her Mayella but Miss Mayella but Mayella took it like Atticus was mocking her. Judge Taylor had to calm her down by saying, â€Å"Mr Finch is always courteous to everybody†. This is saying that Atticus is always polite and courteous to everyone he meets. He is also very polite to Mrs Dubose even though Mrs Dubose shout insults to him every time he walks by. Atticus would sweep off his hat, wave gallantly to her and say, ‘Good evening, Mrs Dubose! You look like a picture this evening. ’† This shows that even though Mrs Dubose is horrid to him, he still says hello and is polite to her. Atticus is also very aware of his own reputation and tries to be morally good as much as he can be. He does this by helping Tom Robinson in a case they would probably lose. Scout asks him why he is defending Tom Robinson and Atticus replies, â€Å"The main one is that if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold my head up in town†. This shows he has morals that he follows so that he can have respect not for others but himself as well. Throughout chapters 1-17 Atticus is shown as a courageous person. As well as being courageous he is non-judgemental especially when he says, â€Å"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it†. Atticus is also portrayed as a caring father when Scout is having trouble at school; Atticus is there to support her. Harper Lee has overall made Atticus a very polite, wise and respected man in To Kill A Mockingbird.

Irlen Syndrome Symptoms, Description, and How to Help

Irlen  Syndrome  was initially called Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. It was first identified by an Educational Psychologist named Helen Irlen in the 1980s. She wrote a book called Reading by the Colors (Avery Press, 1991), to support individuals with Irlen Syndrome. The exact cause of Irlen remains unknown. However, it is believed to originate in the retina of the eye or in the visual cortex of the brain. Individuals with Irlen Syndrome seem to see words that are blurry, have patterns or appear to move on the page. As the individual continues to read, the problem seems to worsen. Colored overlays and filters are used to help individuals with Irlen Syndrome because they sometimes appear to reduce the perceptual distortions and visual stress experienced by some children during reading. Research in this area, however, is quite limited. Most people are unaware that they have Irlen Syndrome. Irlen syndrome is often confused with an optical problem; however, it is a problem with processing, the inability or weakness in processing visual information. It often runs in families and typically goes misdiagnosed as a learning disability or dyslexia. Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome Trouble reading wordsHeadache while readingWeaker academic performanceWeak concentrationComplaints of eye strain while readingTires while readingDepth perception is much weakerWill also affect math performanceOften exhibits sensitivity to lights (especially fluorescent types)Trouble focusingWeak/poor comprehensionDifficulty tracking words on a line and will often skip wordsReads in a strained word by word fashion and with great hesitancyAvoids readingWeaker written workTrouble copyingRandom spacingRandom letter sizesWriting up or downhillInconsistent spelling The reason for all of these symptoms is largely due to the fact that print looks different to individuals with Irlens Syndrome. How Can You Help? Dimmer lightsNatural lighting appears to helpIrlen lenses (colored lenses, colored overlays)Colored paper for reading materials and worksheetsAdditional time for reading assignmentsIf lights cant be dimmed, individuals should be allowed to wear a visor.Shorten time spent on readingProvide more frequent breaksAllow the child to use a ruler to ease the tracking of words while reading. It is important to note that Irlen syndrome and visual treatments are unproven and not recognized by the major academic Pediatric Organizations in the US(AAP, AOA, and AAO.). To learn more about Irlens, you can take a self-test.

life of pi story of keesh Essay - 894 Words

Yaritza Nunez February 2, 2015 808 Ms.Riley â€Å"The Story of Keesh and the Life of Pi† In a short story named â€Å"The Story of Keesh† and a novel excerpt named â€Å"The Life of Pi† both authors, Jack London and Yann Martel, develop certain qualities in characters who find the strength in themselves to want to survive when in extreme situations. Both Keesh and Pi obtain three traits that help them survive in these extreme environments such as bravery, intelligence and strategic plans. First, an example in which Keesh uses†¦show more content†¦Instead, Pi could’ve devoured it all in one moment but he chose not to. â€Å"The Story of Keesh† is similar because the quote, â€Å"Bok, my father, was a great hunter. I too, his son shall go hunt the meat that I eat† also shows how Keesh was intelligent enough to realize that he wasn’t going to let h is mother and him live off of the poor meat that to council gives them. Therefore, he will go out and hunt his own. This was intelligent to his survival because Keesh and Ikeega wouldn’t be able to survive off of the small portions of meat they were receiving. The last comparison which Pi from â€Å"The Story of Keesh† shows is that they are both strategic. In â€Å"The Life of Pi’ is stated, â€Å"don’t I have here a perfect circus ring, inescapably round, without a single corner for him to hide in? I looked down at the sea. Wasn’t this an ideal source of threats with which I condition him to obey? I noticed a whistle hanging from one of the life jackets. Wouldn’t this make a good whip to keep him in line?† This explains how Pi has a strategy in which he will use several utilities to tame Richard Parker, the tiger, in order to survive with him on the boat. He would use the whistle to control his actions, the boat was round therefore the tiger couldn’t hide, and the sharks in the ocean would be a great threat enough to scare Richard Parker. On the other hand, Keesh was strategic by using blubber

Climate Change A Changing For A Brighter Future

Climate Change: A Changing For A Brighter Future About 4.543 billion years ago, planet earth was created. As the years went on, the earth was starting to support life. Anything from bacterias, insects, animals and humans were starting to prosper and this was becoming a problem for the earth. As the earth was starting to support new forms of live, many of it resources were being used up and as a result, problems were arising. Problems such as is there enough water, food and resources were questions of the past. Recently, the new question has revolved around climate change and its effect on mankind. The reason no one questions climate change and global warming is because not so many people saw a tremendous difference in the earth s temperature. However, as the temperature started to rise slowly each day, it became warmer in the long run and people realized that there was a problem. As of today, climate change is currently the biggest problem we as humans are facing. Climate change is a lready happening and is one of the greatest social, economic, and environmental threats facing the planet. However, climate change could be thwarted, by simply looking at the history, evidence, causes, effects and the solutions of climate change. To pick up the scientific trail of what climate change is today, we need to travel back into the year 1712. During the year of 1712, there were many historical events taking place, events such as the New York Slave Revolt to Jan van der HeydenShow MoreRelatedEssay on Dire Predictions: Global Warming1599 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal Warming issue. Chapter one gives essential information covering a wide range of things including: the natural and human impacts on climate, definition of a greenhouse gas and how it affects temperature, positive and negative feedback loops, threatening human byproducts that affect the ozone, ways scientists study ancient climates, and it gives possible future Earth outcomes due to global warming. It is a really l oaded chapter I know, but this information proves to be very valuable when learningRead More Tropical Deforestation and Its Effect on Global Climate Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesTropical Deforestation and Its Effect on Global Climate Abstract Rainforests are the predominant natural vegetation throughout the wet tropics. The defining characteristics of a tropical rainforest are temperature and rainfall. Wherever temperature is high enough and rainfall heavy and regular enough, there is rainforest (Bagheera, 1996). Tropical rainforests of all kinds once covered approximately 14 percent of the Earth’s surface, more than eight million square miles (Conservation InternationalRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem September Cotton Flower By Jean Toomer1586 Words   |  7 Pagesdescribes (the conditions when slaves were under the Harlem Renaissance) the conditions in which slaves were under during the Harlem Renaissance where there seems to be no prospect for a brighter future for the slaves in the society. Throughout the poem, Toomer develops his theme of hope and desire for a brighter future by exhausting literary devices such as metaphors, structure, and imagery. â€Å"The November Cotton Flower† is a poem that not only depicts a late autumn setting where the cotton seasonRead MoreEssay on Global Warming1169 Words   |  5 Pagesis essential that people act out now and do what is necessary to establish a brighter future. By using appropriate procedures to conserve energy and save natural resources, people can counteract the process of global warming and its disastrous effects. When global warming is disregarded, serious consequences affect the lives of many organisms on earth. Change in weather conditions is one of the effects. Due to climate alterations, polar ice caps begin to melt which result in a rise in sea-levelRead MoreSolutions to Eliminate the Threats of Global Warming1595 Words   |  6 Pagesand scientists are universal in their conclusions: this problem is here, it is growing, and only new science can stop its expansion. The threat of global warming is an elusive one, because there has never been a precedent for humanity being able to change its own environment until the spark of the Industrial Revolution. The burning of fossil fuels, which are essential to most forms of human power, releases carbon atoms into the air. (Bird, 1) Carbon atoms are dangerous because of their tendency toRead MoreThe World Is Blue : How Our Fate And The Ocean1472 Words   |  6 Pageswoven with stories compiled from decades of work and exploration, and with facts and arguments concerning our changing ocean. Sylvia’s novel is about the relationship between humans and the ocean, whether it be through the extinction of species, climate change, or even exploration and aquaculture, we ultimately affect the ocean and it affects us. According to the author, one of the major changes we are seeing in the oceans are the loss of marine life. The loss of mammals, fish, and shellfish are highlightedRead MoreHealth Detriments Caused by Fast Food1808 Words   |  7 Pagesregards to attaining a successful future. When looking to the future, ideally, many of us desire to see things like great fitness in our population (with regards to reproduction and evolution), better health care, cures for cancers, ends to wars and political disputes and differences. Many of us are not giving enough thought and credit to the fact that to even get close to that type of a future, we need to start with the basics. We need to start to look at our food future. The food that we ingest andRead MorePolitical Issues On Climate Change Essay1760 Words   |  8 PagesPolitical Issues on Climate Change In today’s political climate, individuals are more polarized than ever over climate issues. We don’t see much agreement that for whatever the reason, climate change is affecting the Earth. The issues over climate change has hit the media and the environmentalist has done a lot to shined light on the issue as well but, a lot of the citizens still believe that global warming isn’t real. If we are not educated about the issues regarding a sustainable living andRead MoreAlternative Fuels For Fossil Fuels3425 Words   |  14 Pagesthey start to rule our lives rather than the usual other way around? This essay seeks to unravel the causes and processes associated with this dependency, and whether or not there are any alternatives to fossil fuels which can be used in the near future, and whether or not these sources would be more ‘greener’. The collective global use of fossil fuels eventually leads to carbon dioxide emissions being released into the a tmosphere, which then causes more environmental problems such as global warmingRead MoreThe Effect Of The Black Death Essay1115 Words   |  5 PagesThe Affect of the Black Death England in the year 1250-1350 BC was prosperous in the field of agriculture production. This prosperity was brought by good weather and favorable climate. This in turn brought the increase growth and harvesting of cash crops, such as wools. The population in England during this period also increased, which means that workers and peasant also increase. Due to the increase of workers the labor forces become excessive. In order to resolve those excess workers, they would